Don’t be cheated this holiday season. Here’s what you should know:

NORFOLK, Va. – Don’t let scammers steal your holiday spirit during the busiest shopping time of the year.

It’s that time of year when criminals come out of the woodwork and target buyers when they least expect it, especially sophisticated scammers.

“They needed about five dollars from me, and I (said) sure. I didn’t know they were going into my account and trying to take more than five dollars,” said Clarence Christman of Norfolk.

Watch coverage: The amount of data collected by social media and streaming companies is “alarming,” an FTC report says

The FTC report says the amount of data collected by social media and streaming companies is “alarming.”

It can happen quickly. One click and your money could be in someone else’s hands.

Clarence clicked on a link sent to his phone that he didn’t know wasn’t real. But what happens if you’re not so lucky?

If you give out personal information, like your debit card information, contact your bank and let them know, according to the BBB.

“I was walking in the parking lot and some people asked me, ‘Can you help me transfer this amount of money?'” Isaiah Torres said. “It will be around the holiday season.”

See more: Another Navy Federal customer was forced to pay back a loan she defaulted on due to fraud

Navy Federal customer was forced to pay back a loan she defaulted on after a scam

Police say whenever you use your credit card, whether online or at the mall, you should go in with your eyes open, even if you’re just waiting for your Amazon orders to be delivered.

You should pay attention to any phone calls or text messages that may appear sketchy as your personal information could be at risk.

You don’t want to give anyone your phone while you’re shopping. Experts say it’s an easy way for someone to steal your money. For a man from Norfolk it was almost $7,000.

“They held my phone for less than five minutes and then started applying for credit on my account,” Torres said.

Check out similar coverage: Scam against Navy Federal customers costing victims thousands in Hampton Roads

Scam against Navy Federal customers costing victims thousands in Hampton Roads

Don’t get discouraged because you don’t want to be tricked this holiday season.

Things to pay attention to:

• Police say people should be careful when sending money through payment apps. Once you hit send, it’s difficult to get it back.
• Watch out for fake websites or social media profiles that attempt to impersonate legitimate charities.
• Avoid falling victim to delivery scams. Keep records of your deliveries and know the company’s delivery policies.
• Watch out for AI phishing scams: where scammers collect personalized data about you online, such as on social media, and then use general AI to create a compelling, specific text or email that encourages you to respond Clicking fraudulent links.