INDIANAPOLIS — Scams prey on your emotion. This time of year, that emotion is the excitement surrounding the holidays.
Jennifer Adamany with the Better Business Bureau said when it comes to scams, bad people cast a wide net.
"It's hitting the right person at the right time," Adamany said.
The holiday season is why you might second guess your gut feeling when you see that odd text or email that mentions a delivery.
"Because we are expecting a lot of packages, and so we're less suspicious when we when we get it," Adamany said.
Here is the rule of thumb with scams: there is typically a call to action and a consequence.
Like this fake USPS text. Click the link or no package.
The real USPS said it "will not send customers text messages or emails without a customer first requesting the service with a tracking number."
The call to action and a consequence in this fake UPS email?
Click to the link or you will miss out on compensation.
If you do accidently click on a fake link, a few things could happen.
"You're actually led to download malware unbeknownst to you, or you might be filling out information that they can then steal your identity," Adamany said.
If you are on a desktop computer, you can also set your mouse pointer on top of the link.
That will cause the exact web address to pop up in the bottom left corner of the screen.
So your excitement does not become a detriment.
If your traveling over the holidays, there are also toll scams.
The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company said they do not send text messages requesting sensitive information.