A wide variety of media reports indicate that scams using Santa Claus are on the rise. A number of “Santa services” can now be purchased online and offline promising letters, phone calls, emails, videos or personalized chats with Santa. But some parents are reporting that some of these service providers merely take the money and run.
“It’s a very competitive niche,” said Dale Gruber, who owns and runs PackageFromSanta.com with his wife.
He is a member of the Better Business Bureau. The scams, he indicates, don’t just reach the consumer. Competition is sometimes dirty in the Santa services business. At one point, Gruber said another company had duplicated the exact look and feel of his Web site. The infringing website quickly received a Cease & Desist letter from Mr. Gruber’s attorney. Gruber said that company even tried to claim his BBB membership, as well.
“It’s unbelievable how much fraud there is, and we aggressively protect our trademark, artwork, and website elements” Gruber said.
This is the third holiday season for PackagefromSanta.com, who has gained acceptance and notoriety amongst the online Christmas communities.
The company has three products: A letter from Santa for $12.99; a second package that includes a letter from Santa, a letter from Rudolph, a “Nice List” certificate and an autographed photo of Santa and Mrs. Claus for $24.99, and a red box filled with all of the above and more, including “North Pole Snow”, a collector's tin of Reindeer food, an Authentic Collector's Swatch of Santa's Suit, and more for $49.99. For a limited time, PackageFromSanta.com is offering free shipping but may charge for shipping in the next few days. Priority shipping, which is recommended now to ensure delivery by Christmas, is $5.95.
Many online Santa letter services aren’t as well organized. Some only begin operating just after Thanksgiving and shut down as soon as Christmas passes. Some will sell on eBay. And many simply fail to deliver.
Tim Burns, public affairs director for the Better Business Bureau, was amazed to see the number of online offers for letters or phone calls from Santa.
“If they say wire them money, run away,” Burns said.
Typically, consumers never want to wire money to any person that they do not know well. Burns said wire transfer services have become “the ATM of scam artists and should be a red flag for consumers.” Western Union also warns that you don’t want to use money transfer services to pay for things like online auction purchases. Some Santa publishing outfits even claim to be members of the BBB but are not, Burns said. He suggests that you double check that information directly at www.bbb.org.
Burns said one woman in Tennessee complained to the BBB that she purchased two Santa letters online, but her children never received them. She was unable to contact the company by phone or fax.
A few years ago, a California woman also complained to the BBB because she paid $20 for letters for her then 3-year-old nephew whose father was stationed in Iraq. The letter never arrived at the boy’s home in North Carolina nor at the aunt’s home in California.
Another woman in Texas complained to the BBB of paying $45 for a phone call from Santa that never came.
As with any purchase, consumers need to realize that anytime they give a credit card number to someone they don’t know, there’s a risk that the card could be charged over and over again. So you need to watch your credit card statements, too.
By SUSAN TOMPOR
FREE PRESS COLUMNIST
For a reputable Santa Letter service that IS registered with the BBB, just go to www.PackageFromSanta.com
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