The holiday season is a time for celebrating, gifting, and connecting but it’s also one of the busiest periods for online scams. With more e-commerce shopping, increased travel, and heightened social media activity, scammers take advantage of consumers who are distracted or in a hurry. From AI-generated product photos to fake charity pages, holiday fraud has evolved into a highly sophisticated business.
Let’s take a look at the top holiday scams to watch out for in 2025, and how you can navigate the season safely.
1. AI-Generated Fake Product Listings
One of the fastest-growing scams this holiday season involves AI-generated product images. Fraudsters use advanced tools to create hyper-realistic photos of luxury handbags, rare sneakers, trending toys, or holiday decor. These images look legitimate, but the products don’t exist.
Where are these scams? On social marketplaces, cloned brand websites, or ads promoting “limited-time holiday deals.”
Once payment is sent, the seller disappears and consumers have little recourse.
What to look out for
- Prices far below market value with high-pressure “limited-time” offers
- Sellers with no reviews and overly perfect images with subtle inconsistencies
- Payment requests via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency
- Missing return policies or customer service information
2. Charity & Donation Scams
Holiday giving season attracts an overwhelming number of charity scams. Fraudsters create polished but fake donation pages, AI-generated videos featuring nonexistent volunteers, and posts that mimic well-known nonprofits. Their goal is to tug at emotions and rush people into donating without verifying the source.
Scammers often:
- Clone charity websites
- Use AI to generate videos and testimonials
- Launch fake fundraisers tied to trending crises
- Slip phishing links into social media donation posts
These campaigns spread quickly because they appear heartfelt and authentic – and AI makes the stories look even more convincing.
What to look out for
- Unknown charities with pressure to donate immediately
- Payment requests via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency
- Vague fund usage descriptions and missing registration or contact information
- Unsolicited donation requests via email or social media
3. Fake Travel Deals and Rental Scams
As people book holiday travel, scammers take advantage by posting AI-enhanced photos of fake vacation rentals. These listings often showcase stunning beachfront villas, luxury winter cabins, or boutique hotel suites created entirely with AI.
Common tactics include:
Fake listings on travel platforms
Scammers upload AI-generated property images, offer suspiciously low rates, and ask for upfront payment via untraceable methods like Zelle or wire transfer. After receiving the money, they vanish.
Social media travel-host scams
Fraudsters pose as travel influencers and DM users “exclusive holiday deals,” complete with edited resort images and fabricated booking confirmations. None of it is real.
What to look out for
- Prices significantly below market rate with urgency tactics
- Requests for full upfront payment outside the booking platform
- Hosts who avoid video calls and provide vague property details
- Few or generic reviews with listings appearing across multiple platforms
4. Social Media Impersonation
Fake accounts spike during the holidays as scammers impersonate brands, creators, and influencers to promote counterfeit sales, bogus giveaways, or phishing links. Many use AI-generated profile photos and captions to appear trustworthy.
What to look out for
- Usernames with slight variations and missing verification badges
- Newly created accounts with unsolicited DMs offering prizes or deals
- Requests for personal information, login credentials, or upfront fees
- Links redirecting to unfamiliar websites
Staying Safe This Season
As AI-driven scams become more sophisticated, protecting your content from being used in scams requires monitoring and takedown services. TraceID by Vermillio has both.
How TraceID Helps
TraceID empowers our clients to ensure their content isn’t partaking in these holiday scams, by offering:
- 24/7 monitoring your IP and likeness across social media and other online platforms.
- Real-time alerts when unauthorized content is discovered and the ability to issue takedown requests.
- Manual infraction reports that can easily be submitted directly from the dashboard using just a link.
By increasing awareness and monitoring, we can make the internet a safer and more transparent space for everyone.