Father’s Day is here, and while Santa Clarita residents may still be searching for that perfect gift to give that special man in their lives, officials say that there are criminals lying in wait to take advantage of the holiday.

When looking to purchase a gift, officials with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department warn residents to be wary of deeply discounted deals offered via email or online stores.

There are several clues that the LASD suggest Santa Clarita residents keep an eye out for when shopping for Father’s Day this weekend.

One sign of less-than-honest Father’s Day sales is an overflow of emails promoting the “Perfect Gift for Father’s Day” that may include liquor, cigars and other popular items for dad.

Additionally, once the buyer decides to purchase an item from what they think is a reputable company, they may give personal information and a credit card number to buy the gift.

The thieves can then use the stolen information for their own spending spree and the gift is never sent to the consumer, according to officials.

The LASD offers Santa Clarita residents a few tips to avoid being a victim:

• Don’t be lured by bogus coupon codes that promise huge discounts.
• Don’t click on the URL contained in the spam message that can redirect consumers to a website with the fake offer.
• If the deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

LASD officials have advised residents to make sure they do their research before buying to avoid being scammed.

Ed. Note: This information provided to KHTS by Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.

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