With online shopping for Christmas presents ramping up and Boxing Day Sales ahead, the holiday period is a prime opportunity for scammers.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the next couple of weeks could see millions of scams flooding people’s inboxes, as scammers use the holiday period to take advantage of the high level of online shopping and potential deals, reports Metro.
That’s why it’s vital for email users to be extra vigilant in the coming weeks, with more opportunities than ever for phishing emails or fake deals. Often, this will result in the theft of personal data or malware that gives scammers access to other people’s devices.
“With an additional 10 million online threats expected on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, it’s never been more important to cast a skeptical eye over any festive deals or unexpected order and delivery updates,” said Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee.
“Even if an email or text looks legitimate, it’s always best to go directly to the source, whether it’s an online retailer or delivery provider.”
How to protect against phishing scams
Fake online deals are common dangers to look out for, so if a deal seems too good to be true, be wary. A good tip if you’ve been sent through a deal for a particular company, navigate directly to that retailer via a search engine and see if you can find the same deal. If not, you might be looking at a fake webpage.
Other common scams include fake delivery messages. Keep a careful track of what you’re expecting and when and note that you should never expect to pay to book another delivery slot from reputable couriers, so be wary of entering your payment details if prompted in this way.
“Many scams are effective because the scammer creates a false sense of urgency or preys on a heightened emotional state,” continued Ms Gamot. “Pause before you rush to interact with any message that is threatening or urgent, especially if it is from an unknown or unlikely sender.”
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