FBI Phoenix office warning to shoppers: ‘Tis the season for scammers

PHOENIX — You might be planning some time off for the holidays, but for scammers, it’s the busiest time of the year.

“They never take a day off, they become more and more sophisticated, and they use to their advantage what time of the year it may be,” Heith Janke, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Phoenix office, told KTAR News 92.3 FM this week.

Don’t Let Scammers Ruin Your Holiday Season
Learn more on how to protect yourself and family here: https://t.co/ySbXT93ZB4 pic.twitter.com/R9Xd1mHPiX

— FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) December 10, 2025

Janke said scammers often use the holidays to target people looking for a great deal or who are in a giving mood and want to donate to charities.

“It looks legitimate because they may use AI to make their messaging even better, but when you click on that link, now you’ve given access to the cybercriminal,” he said.

How scammers can revictimize their victims

Janke said not only will you be fraudulently charged, but scammers will also sell personal information they collect — including addresses, credit card information and phone numbers — on the dark web to revictimize you.

He said other red flags to watch out for include unsolicited messages that contain links and anything that requires payment in gift cards or cryptocurrency

Janke also said to remember this age-old adage: “If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Arizonans lost $392 million to cybercrime in 2024, according to an FBI report. If you believe you’ve fallen victim to a scam, report it to the FBI here.

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