Tis the season for shopping — and for holiday scams that can leave you putting gift-buying on hold permanently.

As consumers open their wallets and checkbooks in these coming weeks, it’s prime time for crooks looking to make a quick buck off the carelessness of shoppers. There are a few scams in particular you should be on the watch for, according to a USA Today report.

For one thing, you’ll need to be careful with gift cards that sit on racks in stores. Scammers sometimes will use handheld scanners to read the code on the magnetic strip as well as the number in front. They periodically check whether the card is activated with the retailer’s 800 number, and if it has been, they create a counterfeit card and spend all of your gift card money. To avoid this, get the cards from behind a customer service desk.

Phishing is another big problem around the holidays. Be on the lookout for emails promising discounted merchandise and coupons, only to give your computer malware once you click on the link allowing an intruder to steal your information and cause you to be a victim of identity theft. Instead of clicking on email links, visit the store’s website to see if the email is legitimate.

You wouldn’t think puppies would be a common scam item, but they are. Scammers often swipe photographs of dogs from legitimate dog breeders and sends them to a potential victim, asking for miscellaneous fees for shipping and insurance up front before sending the dog. The victim is sent to the airport once the fees are paid, only to find they’ve been had. To avoid this, make sure you meet with the breeder and see the dog before parting with any cash.

Vacation homes are another common scam target. Scammers make official-looking sites that again is just ripped off from a legitimate dealer, trying to get victims to send a wire transfer or cashier’s check to hold homes that are often listed at prices that are too good to be true. Instead, check with the tax assessor’s office to see who the true owner of the dwelling is.

Other scams to avoid include the contest scam, which tricks victims into thinking they’ve won a lottery they didn’t enter. There’s also the grandparent scam, which starts with a phone call from a grandchild with an emergency and needs money right away, allowing scammers to collect personal information. They will often do this through the child’s Facebook page or other social media to sound legitimate.