This festive period comes with lots of amazing benefits and good deeds, but did you know that this is the season cybercriminal activities are at a peak? In our last article, we discussed a popular method cybercriminals use during this period to find victims and lure them, which is the use of malicious links. In this article, we would discuss other method of fraud these criminals use, and also ways we can avoid falling victim:

  1. The use of fake Gift Cards: Gift cards are popularly used to transmit trojan horses to computers. This kind of scam is popular during festivity season, and they are usually seen in mails, and fake websites. It’s always important to verify some of the gift cards that you find in your mailbox, as it can be a threat to your business.
  2. Increased Phishing attempts: Phishing is a form of social engineering where attackers send malicious emails designed to trick people into falling for a scam. Typically, the intent is to get users to reveal financial information, system credentials or other sensitive data. According to the Economic Times, In 2020, digital payments were the preferred way to pay for 39 percent of consumers in India during the festive season. Increasing number of consumers are now shopping online and using online payment methods, which makes festivals and sale seasons attractive for phishing cases.
  3. Fictitious Websites: Since it’s Christmas and lots of companies and businesses would be hosting the popular ember sales, many cybercriminals would forge fake websites to resemble the original websites. Customers are lured to purchase products, use certain discount codes and make payments, with their goods never getting to them.
  4. POS Scam: We cannot deny that the use of POS has reduced long cues around ATM stands and banks. But we also have to be vigilant, because some POS attendants snap the numbers in the ATM card and hack into bank accounts.
  5. Wi-Fi scam: Lots of companies and areas would have free Wi-Fi plans as a way of giving back to the society. We must stay vigilant, because not every free gift is a good gift. Some of these WI-FI are unsecured and can contain dangerous viruses which can be harmful to your devices.

HOW TO AVOID FALLING VICTIM

  1. Ask for help: If you come across something that looks like a scam, never be too shy to ask for help from a professional. Also, share the newfound information with friends and family, because you might be saving a life.
  2. Avoid giving your devices to strangers: This is a season of joy and merry, and when you go to a park, you can find some strangers asking for your phone to take a quick picture. Some of these strangers may be putting malicious software in your phones, which can put you at risk.
  3. Don’t click on fictitious links: If a link seems fraudulent, do not click on it. Always ask questions or verify the link before clicking. If you do not know how to verify a link, try checking our article on ‘Top security tips’.
  4. Do your research; If a business or organization is having a discount sale or promo sale, information would be passed on their verified social media pages, or through emails. Always research before purchasing any product from an online vendor.

CONCLUSION

It’s the most vulnerable time of the year, and that means we must prioritize cyber safety at all times. We have mentioned the popular tricks cybercriminals play to us, and we should continue to safeguard our online space. During this season, we need to take a look at cybersecurity to ensure the safety of our networks and data at all times, to have the best Christmas celebration.

We are Platview Technologies. We are an innovative and agile cybersecurity company with the goal of safe-guarding businesses with our world-class, industry-leading services and technology solutions. We commit to understanding your business objectives and goals to align a tailored security services and strategy allowing your business to grow without added security risk.