Local officials are warning about a scam that aims to get someone's credit card information by convincing them they've been sent a surprise holiday gift.
The "bogus delivery scam" starts with a phone call from a fake shipping company to schedule a delivery.
The scammer then shows up at the victim's home with a package - maybe a bouquet of flowers or bottle of wine - and says there is a small fee due for the delivery.
The victim hands over a credit card to pay the fee and the thief swipes the card through a reader.
The bad guys now have the victim's credit card info and go on a nice little online shopping spree - buying as much stuff as they can get before the victim catches on.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office offers a few tips to avoid falling for scams like this:
For starters, don't accept a package if you don't know the sender.
Don't give out your credit or debit card information if it is not a purchase that you initiated.
Be suspicious of deliveries from unrecognized services.
The DA's office has produced a video available here that provides more information on the scam.