How to Avoid Holiday Shopping Scams (From a Former Cyber Detective)

Christmas is the time where we allow our imaginations to run wild, it’s the season of goodwill, high spirits and Christmas joy.

However, cybercriminals don’t take holidays. We still have to be on our guard, and question what is real and what is not.

Common Holiday Scams

Fake Online Stores

Around this time of year, we will see a rise in fake websites and online stores, cyber criminals build slick looking online shops which may be replicates of ones that we know and trust.

These online stores could also be independent Christmas stores, offering fantastic prices on gifts that may be hard to find. However, the reality is they are not real, they take your money and disappear.

Phishing Emails

It’s not just the websites that we see, we also have to be extra cautious when it comes to the emails we receive.

At this time of year we are notified of discounts and deals as retailers want to sell us their Christmas stock but we should also expect to receive plenty of phishing emails. These are emails with malicious intent, intended to trick us.

Emotional Manipulation

When it comes to phishing emails we have to look out for the red flags. These red flags are generally tied to emotions that are triggered within us when we read the emails.

This can include fear, curiosity, a sense of urgency, or fear of missing out on the best deal.

AI-Driven Deepfakes

With the rise of AI and the quality of the content that it produces we need to be aware not only of images but also video.

Deep fake content used by cybercriminals is on the rise, we saw that in the recent Irish presidential elections.

I expect to see this Christmas a rise in the number of deep fake videos featuring celebrities or influencers which are, apparently, endorsing products and companies in order to win our trust and encourage us to part with our hard-earned cash.

Fake Reviews

And we must not forget that generative AI can also support cyber criminals in creating reviews, and many of them, quickly!

Whether this be reviews for products they’re selling, services they’re offering or even days out at winter wonderlands and we’ve all heard the stories about winter wonderlands that lack the wonder!

How to Avoid These Scams

When it comes to protecting yourself from the scams it’s important to ask yourself 3 questions.

1. Do I trust this person or company?

Only give your trust once you’ve had time to consider the offer, whether it be a website, a phishing email, a video on social media or even a review.

Take the time, slow down and look carefully, are there any red flags? Is the content designed to trigger an emotional reaction from you? Does this feel too good to be true? Do you know the person or company you’re buying from?

Consider what research you can do to help verify this trust. It could be a Google search, looking at trusted review sites to see what feedback others have given or simply exploring them and their website further.

2. Am I paying securely?

Paying using a credit card when shopping online gives you extra protection. Most credit card providers provide online purchase protection and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances.

3. Are my accounts secure?

Make sure you use a strong password, these can be easily generated and stored using a password manager, but if you don’t want to do that, best practice is to use three random words. It is also essential to ensure your accounts are using multi-factor authentication.

What to Do If You Fall for a Scam

If you do become a victim of a scam, it’s important to remain calm but act swiftly.

• Start by freezing your bank account to prevent any (further) money being taken from the account and alert your bank to your concerns. This will also ensure you get guidance from your bank.
• Following this, make sure your online accounts are protected, whether it be a social media account, an email address or the details that you may have just used to create a new account, for example on the malicious website. This means you may have to change your passwords or even monitor your account looking for suspicious logins.
• If you have shared any personal documentation, make sure to contact the issuing authority and alert them.
• Finally, you must report this scam to Action Fraud or if you’re outside the UK, your local police force. This action is crucial to protect others.

Final Advice

Becoming a victim to a cyber criminal is not a nice experience, particularly around Christmas time when we want to be enjoying ourselves. The best situation is to prevent attacks by relying on the three questions mentioned above.

However, should cybercriminals bypass the preventative measures you put in place, you must not feel silly, ashamed or embarrassed. This is a very common situation in which anybody could become a victim. Statistics show that worldwide, an estimated 608 million people each year fall victim to a scam.

And of course, these measures are important to protect yourself but they are equally important to share with others, maybe those more vulnerable, who equally want to engage in the Christmas spirit but may not be as able to successfully answer the question: is this person trustworthy?

Have a Merry Christmas.

P.S. Have a business and want to stay secure this holiday season? Check out this quick guide on how to keep your company safe from scams:

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Adam Pilton

Adam is the Cybersecurity Advisor at Heimdal. With over 15 years in law enforcement, where he served as a Detective Sergeant leading Covert Operations and Cyber Crime teams, Adam transitioned to cybersecurity in 2016. Known for simplifying complex topics, Adam leverages his investigative and communication experience to engage leaders and end users alike, driving stronger cyber resilience.