Every year, with the arrival of the Christmas holidays, the enthusiasm for offers and online purchasesencouraged by Black Friday and by the discounts that many e-commerce and physical stores offer to attract users. In addition to consumer enthusiasm, there is another thing that is growing in this period: the risk of running into an online scam. Cybercriminals, in fact, also in this part of the year set traps for those looking for gifts at affordable prices, using fake sites, phishing emails and misleading adverts. The technique is more or less always the same: take advantage of the rush and distraction of buyers to steal money or sensitive information. For recognize online Christmas scams and defend yourself it is essential not to let your guard down, to know the “weapons” used by scammers and the main types of scams they perpetrate in this period, so as to make them harmless by following the advice of IT security experts.
How to protect yourself from scams at Christmas
The most well-known Christmas scams
In the latter part of the year, cybercriminals adapt the techniques used during the year to make them more relevant to the Christmas period. Below we describe them 3 main Christmas online scams.
Charity scams
Since many people are more likely to donate to various causes at this time of year, scammers exploit users’ generosity to their advantage to perpetrate what we might call a charity scam. What do we mean? Cybercriminals may pose as members of non-profit organizations to raise “funds” that they will actually pocket directly and use for the benefit of no one but themselves. They could perpetrate this type of fraud by setting up websites that resemble those of humanitarian organizations, various charities, etc. Sometimes scammers may contact their victims via message, perhaps implementing social engineering techniques to deceive them.
Store fake
Given that the Christmas period is characterized by the “rush for gifts”, the risk that store fake snack like mushrooms is concrete. If we add to this the fact that many are limited to purchasing gifts at the last minute, they could be betrayed by the rush and not pay enough attention during the purchasing phase, which can prove disastrous if you stumble upon a fake online shop .
So, be careful if you come across online shops that seem official, with well-known logos and a refined design, but which have the sole intent of defrauding internet users. They often offer high-demand products to unrealistically low prices to attract those looking for unmissable deals. Still in the context of fake stores, pay attention to any requests for unlock parcels containing purchases made online: they could have anything but legitimate origins!
Travel scams
And considering the fact that at this time of year many go on holiday, we can say that there is a return of the travel scamssuch as those relating to non-existent holiday homes or those relating to winning fake travel kits. This type of scam does not only happen in the summer, but also in this window of the year, and is usually perpetrated through false advertisements and the delivery of emails and messages.
How contact occurs between scammers and victims
Now that we have understood what the “arguments” of the main types of scams are, let’s see how contact occurs between scammers and victimseven if we have already said a little something in part.
One of the favorite means for scammers remains the email boxwhich at this time of year can turn into a real minefield. Messages announcing blocked shipments or unexpected wins are often phishing traps, designed to trick you into clicking on malicious links. These links lead you to fake pages where you will be asked to enter credentials, banking details or personal information. Social media is another fertile ground for Christmas scams. Many sponsored ads promote products at prices that are too low to be true, leading you to untrustworthy sellers. Once the purchase is completed, you may never receive the item ordered or, worse, find yourself with a poor quality product with no possibility of a refund.
Other pitfalls can come through phone calls, SMS or messages delivered with instant messaging app (like WhatsApp and Telegram). Fraudsters, using the skimming technique, could make the user believe that they are calling on behalf of a store or even on behalf of the bank or the post office, adopting as an “excuse” the alleged blocking of a package or credit card and inviting the user to contact a number, click on a link or perform other actions. These messages, although presented as coming from known institutions, are artfully created to steal sensitive data.
And about skimming, Michele Carminaticomputer security expert from the Polytechnic of Milan, at the microphones of TGR Lombardyexplained:
(The cyber criminal, Editor’s note) can take advantage of telephone number masking services, which replace the number with easily recognizable IDs or names. They focus on haste, on danger and therefore you are led to click on these links which essentially refer to pages that resemble in every way the pages of the services you are used to. The user doesn’t even realize that the password has been stolen.
How to protect yourself from online Christmas scams
Having clarified what some of the techniques used by online scammers are, let’s see what to do to defend yourself.
First of all, Always be wary of offers that are too tempting: if the price of a certain product seems incredibly convenient to you, it is likely that it is a “classic” red herring.
Another important thing we encourage you to do is always check the URL of the sites from which you are purchasing, even if their graphics remind you of the online stores you usually purchase from. Remember that a secure site should always start with “https://” and show the icon of a padlock next to the address. Another aspect to keep in mind: before making any purchase, check the reliability of the seller reading reviews from other buyers and comparing prices with those of known sites.
With regards to any communications received via phone calls, emails, SMS, direct messages, etc., always verify the information received through these channels. As? Ignoring the links that are sent to you and seeking confirmation of what is stated in similar communications on the official website of the store or institution indicated in the communication received. For example, if you receive an SMS informing you that your package has been blocked, visit the retailer’s official website directly to check the status of your orders.
Furthermore, regarding written communications that appear to come from the bank or Poste Italiane, remember this absolute truth: no legitimate institution will ever ask you to provide confidential information via text or email. Never trust communications that require you to act quickly and double-check before providing any data.
Finally, remember to activate two-factor authentication on all your accounts, to set up alerts via SMS or e-mail regarding movements that occur on your credit cards/current accounts, so as to receive alerts on any movements suspicions through which you can intervene promptly in case of fraud.
