How to avoid online scams during the holidays

Daily News Lesson

Dec. 9, 2025, 4:16 p.m.

How to avoid online scams during the holidays

NOTE: If you are short on time, watch the video and complete this See, Think, Wonder activity: What did you notice? What did the story make you think about? What would you want to learn more about?

SUMMARY

With the gift-giving season just around the corner, shoppers looking for good deals are getting savvier — but so are holiday scammers. Last year, scams involving items that were either counterfeit or never delivered cost people more than $700 million. Ali Rogin speaks with Alissa Abdullah, deputy chief security officer for Mastercard, to learn more.

View the transcript of the story.

News alternative: Check out recent segments from the NewsHour, and choose the story you’re most interested in watching. You can make a Google doc copy of discussion questions that work for any of the stories here.

WARM-UP QUESTIONS

What fraction of Americans say they have fallen prey to an online shopping scam?
How much money have Americans lost to online scams in the past year?
Who is Alissa Abdullah, and what is her background?
Why should people making charitable donations do research on where their money is going, according to Abdullah?
How is AI being used to target people, according to Abdullah?

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

In this segment, security expert Alissa Abdullah says that AI is being used to target people for fraud online. What do you think are some ways to prevent identity theft through AI impersonation?

Media literacy: Who else would you want to hear from to better understand the risk of online scams? Why do you think this segment was focused on the holiday season?

WHAT STUDENTS CAN DO

What are some ways you can avoid online scams? Watch the following video from MediaWise Teen Fact-checking Network and Student Reporting Labs. Then discuss —