BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) -- As people finish their holiday shopping, the Better Business Bureau is warning others of potential scams.
Carl Bates, president of the BBB's Central and South Alabama office, said that in the past few weeks, they have seen several instances of shipping scams.
"You've ordered stuff. Now we're seeing text messages and other things asking you for information that really is trying to steal your identity," Bates said.
Bates said many of these messages can include links that aim to collect personal information that can be used for identity theft.
"The second one, which is kind of a new one, is a message from a specific delivery driver asking for a call back or a text back with information," he said. "And, usually, they're going to ask you for your address or your neighborhood, but then they're going to ask you for your confirmation number, or for the last few digits of your social security card, or for the numbers of the credit card you used to purchase the gift to verify your identity. Those are all fake as well."
Another shipping scam that Bates said to look out for is a text message saying that a delivery couldn't be made and asking the recipient to pay an extra fee to make the delivery. To avoid these scams, shoppers should track their purchases with the merchant's website and verify that all communication being received is from the actual merchant.
Another scam the BBB is warning people about involves gift cards. Bates said that if a gift card appears to be tampered with, especially in the back where the barcode is, shoppers should avoid buying that gift card and report it to the store clerk. In this situation, it's possible that a scammer has already taken the information off the gift card and is waiting for someone to put more money on it so they can take the money off.
"A lot of times, the scammers are putting a sticker on the back with their barcode on it," he said. "So, you're sending the money directly into their bank account when you put money on it. So, rub your finger across them. If there's a sticker on it, walk away."