5 Scams to be aware of during the Holiday Season

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Hackers, scammers and cybercriminals love the holiday season because it gives them the chance to take advantage of the crazy holiday shopping and make a nice profit out of unknowing shoppers.

By using phishing scams, online scammers take advantage of the fact that your email inbox is so full of holiday specials and offers that you won’t think twice before clicking on a malicious link.
Here are 5 scams to keep an eye out for this holiday season…


Receipts and invoices. A lot of people do their shopping online these days and during the holiday season, there is a huge increase in online receipts and invoices that shoppers will receive via email. Scammers will hide malicious code in an attachment or link and shoppers won’t think twice when clicking on an attachment that’s apparently from Amazon!

Shipping status. Just like the fake receipts and invoices, fake shipping status alerts are a great way for scammers to trick shoppers into thinking there is a problem with their package or order. A notice from a legitimate-looking email to someone who is actually waiting for a delivery is bound to trick them into clicking on it.

Flyers and deals. The average user sees maybe a dozen or more special offers and deals during the holiday season. While going through emails, shoppers need to be on the lookout for discounts and offers from stores they have never shopped at before. It might be a great deal, but there’s a chance that clicking on it will only lead to a malware infection.

Malicious links. Malicious links are just as popular as malicious attachments, so always think twice before clinking on just any link in an email you receive. Hover your mouse over the link and if it is completely different the hyperlink included. In reality, the link is probably going to end up in malware or a fake website that’ll steal your private data.

Customer surveys. Scammers love to fake customer surveys that offer shoppers rewards such as gift cards or discounts after completing them. The difference between an actual survey and a fake one is easy to spot when you get to the last questions. A cybercriminal will often end up asking for your personal and financial information if so it’s definitely a scam!

Talk to your IT support provider to ensure your computer has the correct security measures in place as well as all the latest updates! Want to find out more about protecting your business or home from online scammers? Contact the OSINT department on 021 110 0422 or pop an email to contact@osint.co.za

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