Holiday Cyber Scams: What To Watch Out For This Festive Season

The festive season is a time of celebration, connection, and increased online activity. Unfortunately, it’s also a time when cybercriminals work overtime. With shoppers rushing to secure the best deals, charities campaigning for year-end contributions, and people constantly tracking deliveries, the conditions are perfect for scams to slip through unnoticed. 

During the holidays, scammers commonly impersonate trusted brands, retailers, and courier services, often sending emails or SMS messages that appear legitimate at first glance. These communications may include fake discount offers, shipping notifications, order updates, or requests for payment to release a parcel. The goal is simple: to trick users into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive information such as passwords or banking details. 

Another tactic on the rise involves fake online stores and fraudulent social media adverts promoting heavily discounted products. Once payment is made, the product never arrives, or worse, personal data is stolen and used for further fraud. The spirit of generosity is also exploited through charity scams, where fake organisations solicit donations to causes that do not exist. 

With many people travelling, shopping on-the-go, and connecting to public Wi-Fi networks, cybercriminals find even more opportunities to intercept data or deploy malware. At the same time, employees beginning their holiday wind-down may be less vigilant, giving attackers an opening via workplace email accounts or remote-access systems. 

So how do we stay safe? The best defence is pausing before you click. Take a moment to verify links, sending addresses website URLs, double-check delivery notifications through official channels, and ensure you’re shopping with reputable retailers. 

Be cautious of offers that seem unusually attractive or messages that create a sense of urgency. Strong password discipline, multi-factor authentication, and up-to-date device security remain key throughout the year, but they are especially important during high-risk periods like the holidays. 

Cybercrime may be growing more sophisticated, but awareness is still our most powerful tool. By staying alert and making informed decisions online, we can ensure the season remains festive for all the right reasons. 

Stay safe. Stay cyber smart. And enjoy a secure holiday season, 

The Maxtec & QBS Team