With the arrival of the Christmas Once again, scam campaigns aimed specifically at exploiting these dates return. Fraudsters are resourceful, determined and have easy access to cybercrime services, allowing them to carry out relatively cheap scam campaigns on a large scale and with little effort.
Among the main tools used are, as usual, ‘phishing’ emails, text messages, malicious advertising and messages on social networks. Therefore, in order not to fall victim to cybercriminals during these Holidays, you need to be alert and know well how they are going to try to attack you.
«The Christmas season, marked as a key period for businesses and retailers thanks to the increase in purchases and special promotions, also represents a golden opportunity for scammers. This dynamic environment full of activity becomes the perfect setting for online scams, which seek to take advantage of the haste and carelessness of users in the midst of the Christmas rush,” says Josep Albors, director of research and awareness of the company, in a statement. ESET cybersecurity.
Fake gift cards
Scammers take advantage of the popularity of gift cards during Christmas to sell fake or stolen cards at attractive prices, or even offer them as ‘prizes’ in fraudulent sweepstakes.
Fake web pages
Sites that imitate real retailers or brands seek to steal personal or financial data, or simply redirect payments to accounts controlled by the scammers.
Too good offers
Highly demanded items are advertised at ridiculous prices on social networks or marketplaces, but after payment, the product does not exist and the money disappears.
Digital cards
Digital Christmas cards have become a tradition, but they can be manipulated to install malware or collect personal information, disguising themselves as legitimate greetings with convincing logos and formats.
The telephone scam
Beware of those calls from supposed representatives of companies, courier services or charitable institutions trying to obtain financial or personal information under pretexts such as surveys, donations or raffles.
Fake packages
Criminals send messages that look like they are from courier companies (Post Office, GLS, DHL, etc.), request personal data to confirm shipments, and sometimes install malware when interacting with the links.
Giveaways that are not what they seem
Criminals promote prizes or gifts online that require filling out forms with personal information, which is sold or used in future fraud.
Fake charities
Criminals pose as charities and institutions to collect money or private data, using websites and social media campaigns that appear legitimate.
Job offers that do not exist
They promise high-paying jobs for simple tasks, but seek to steal personal information or charge registration fees, resulting in identity theft or financial fraud.
And the same with travel
They offer flights, accommodation or rentals at attractive prices, but reservations do not exist, leaving victims stranded upon reaching their destination.
How do I protect myself?
To avoid cybersecurity issues, ESET recommends using strong, unique passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication or passcodes for all online accounts. Obviously, it’s key to be skeptical of everything you read online, including offers that seem too good to be true.
You should also avoid providing personal or financial information after being contacted through an unsolicited message or phone call. In addition, having antivirus and having devices updated to the latest version never hurts.
If it is possible to avoid payments by bank transfer or instant money application, the better. For greater protection, it is ideal to always use a credit or single-use card. And you should check the website and email sender URLs, as well as the content, for typos and grammatical errors that could indicate a scam attempt.
Finally, you should double check delivery notifications directly with the logistics company, but not by contacting the details in the text message or email.
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