The Top 5 2021 Holiday Scams to be Aware of

These tips will show your users what to watch out for in emails as well as on mobile devices. We recommend printing these out, they are great at-desk reminders.

The Wayward Package Phish

The holiday shopping season always means big business for phishers, who tend to find increased success this time of year with a lure about a wayward package that needs redelivery. Here’s a look at a fairly elaborate SMS-based phishing scam that spoofs FedEx in a bid to extract personal and financial information from unwary recipients.

Black Friday / Cyber Monday Specials

Remember that when a “special offer” sounds too good to be true, it usually is. Never click on links in emails or pop ups with very deep discount offers.

Charity Tricksters

The holidays are traditionally the time for giving. It’s also the time that cyber criminals try to pry money out of people that mean well. It is safest to only donate to charities you already know.

Complimentary Vouchers or Gift Cards

A popular holiday scam is big discounts of gift cards. Don’t fall for offers from retailers or social media posts that offer phony vouchers of gift cards paired with special promotions or contests.

Fake Mobile Apps

Apps can sometimes bypass controls built-in by the App Store. Be wary of apps from unknown developers or those with limited/bad reviews. The best practice is to only use ones you know and trust!