ORLANDO, Fla. — This year, holiday shopping is expected to see a boost of up to 4% in spending, even with the economic uncertainties hanging around, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC). At the same time, there’s a rise in holiday scams as cybercriminals take advantage of more people shopping online.
The rise in holiday shopping heightens cybersecurity concerns. IBM reports that the average retail data breach costs $3.54 million, with U.S. breaches averaging $10.22 million, which is among the highest worldwide.
With nearly 50% of recent cyber incidents involving stolen data or credentials, consumers must be vigilant during this busy shopping season.
Scammers are active during holidays, using tactics like fraudulent delivery messages claiming missed parcels or additional fees, often with official logos to seem legitimate.
Fraudulent invoice scams include unsolicited emails or texts with unrecognized invoices, threatening legal action to pressure urgent payments. Scammers may also use QR codes to direct victims to phishing sites or malware downloads via compromised links.
Advanced AI is used in scams, employing voice cloning and deepfake media to impersonate trusted people, fooling victims into unauthorized transfers or revealing sensitive info.
Cyber scammers use urgency and authority to manipulate consumers, who should slow down, scrutinize sources, and avoid unverified links and attachments to protect themselves.
Consumers should verify messages by contacting companies directly using their known contact information, rather than responding to suspicious messages.
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Use secure payment options like credit cards for better fraud protection. Ensure websites are secure by verifying their URLs start with “https://.”
Regularly update your personal devices and enable two-factor authentication (2FA) — a straightforward method to significantly enhance your security. Sharing this knowledge with friends and family can also help everyone stay safer and more aware during these tricky times.
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