Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Christmas, Boxing Day, New Year’s Eve… The holidays are a popular time of year for cybercriminals, who take advantage of the hustle and bustle to deploy targeted scams. These frauds, often sophisticated and enhanced today by artificial intelligence, can ensnare companies and their unwary employees. Here are the main types of scams to watch out for and practical advice on how to protect yourself.
Online shopping scams
With the boom in online shopping and purchases over the holidays, fake stores and “too good to be true” offers are proliferating. Cybercriminals create fraudulent sites or imitate well-known brands to steal banking information.
How to protect yourself: Encourage your team to check the legitimacy of sites (URLs, online reviews) and use secure payment methods.
Shipping scams
Delivery notifications, often by email or SMS, are another common fraud tool. These messages include hyperlinks to malicious sites that request personal information or “processing” fees.
How to protect yourself: Avoid clicking on notification links. Use official carrier applications to track your packages.
Travel scams
Incredibly attractive travel offers are common at this time of year. Fraudulent sites or emails offer promotions on flights or holidays, but these transactions often lead to loss of money or data.
How to protect yourself: Check the authenticity of offers on reputable platforms and avoid links from suspicious emails.
Charity scams
Cybercriminals exploit people’s generosity over the holidays by creating fake donation campaigns. They imitate well-known organizations or invent touching causes to divert donors’ money.
How to protect yourself: Make your donations directly on the official websites of charitable organizations. Check their registration with the relevant authorities.
General tips to avoid scams
- Be careful with unsolicited emails and SMS messages. Never click on suspicious links or attachments.
- Check the authenticity of sites. Scams often use URLs that imitate those of well-known brands.
- Create unique passwords. This limits the damage in the event of data theft.
- Inform your employees. Organize awareness sessions on how to recognize scams.
- Enable dual authentication. This extra layer of security can block intrusions.
This will significantly reduce the risk of fraud during this critical period. Also make sure your company’s cybersecurity procedures and tools are up to date to detect and avoid threats before they cause damage.
Protect your organization today!
MicroAge Canada can help you implement cybersecurity solutions and customized training for your team. Contact us today to find out how you can protect your data and your employees from the growing number of holiday attacks.
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