What Scams Should People Watch Out For During the Fourth of July Holiday?

The Harrison Police Department is among the agencies warning of potential holiday scams.

The full release is below:

As we approach the Fourth of July holiday, I wanted to share a brief seasonal fraud awareness reminder.

Holiday weekends often create opportunities for scammers to exploit increased travel, event attendance, online shopping, charitable giving, and last-minute purchases. While these scams are not always new, the timing and urgency around the holiday can make them more effective.

Common Fourth of July-related scam trends to watch for include:
Fake event tickets or fake fireworks show listings
Fake vacation rentals or last-minute travel deals
Patriotic “holiday sale” ads from fake online stores
Charity scams claiming to support veterans, first responders, or disaster victims
Requests for payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency

Key prevention reminders:
Verify events through official city, venue, chamber of commerce, or event organizer websites.
Book rentals through trusted platforms and do not move payment outside the platform.
Go directly to retailer websites instead of clicking social media ads or unsolicited links.
Research charities independently before donating.
Be cautious of anyone creating urgency, applying pressure, or demanding immediate payment.
Treat requests for gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or payment-app transfers to unknown parties as a major red flag.

 A simple message to remember is this:
If someone is pressuring you to pay quickly, especially by gift card, wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or a payment app, stop and verify before sending money. If you become aware of victims or attempted scams connected to these seasonal trends, please report It to your local law enforcement.