Prepare for a barrage of scams in your inbox over the next fortnight, security experts have warned millions of Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail and Yahoo email users in the UK.
With a frenzy of online shopping in the run-up to Christmas and Boxing Day sales on the horizon, the opportunities for cybercrooks to scam shoppers are rarely greater. In total, 10 million scam emails are tipped to flood inboxes on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, according to new research from the McAfee Labs.
Security experts from the popular anti-virus provider warned about fake delivery messages – a scam that can be tough to spot when you’re trying to keep tabs on several different couriers for Christmas presents that haven't been delivered yet.
Fake deals offering discounts and giveaways are also a common technique used by scammers to get you to click on a fraudulent link within an email.
Britons should be especially wary of emails that purport to flag up an issue with an online order and messages purporting to be from your bank, McAfee researchers warn.
These are some of the most successful scams used by cybercriminals.
McAfee highlighted Gmail – one of the most popular email clients in the UK – as one of the primary ways that scammers would target millions over the busy Christmas shopping period
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“Cybercriminals use phishing emails or fake sites to lure people into clicking links that could lead to malware,” warned Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee. “With an additional 10 million online threats expected on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, it’s never been more important to cast a sceptical eye over any festive deals or unexpected order and delivery updates.
“Even if an email or text looks legitimate, it’s always best to go directly to the source, whether it’s an online retailer or delivery provider.”
Unfortunately, scammers bombard inboxes over the festive period because of the high rates of success. Researchers found that 1 in 5 Britons had fallen prey to an online scam over the Christmas period. Of those, 61% lost money to cybercriminals.
“Many scams are effective because the scammer creates a false sense of urgency or preys on a heightened emotional state," Ms Gamot continued. “Pause before you rush to interact with any message that is threatening or urgent, especially if it is from an unknown or unlikely sender.”
Britons were conned out of £41 million in the first six months of the year, data from UK Finance shows. With the increase in cons expected in the coming days, that figure could only rise.
“It’s critical that Brits [keep] online safety and data privacy top of mind throughout the Christmas period, to keep the holidays merry and avoid the cyber grinch,"saidMs Gamot.
“If you receive an email asking you to click on a link, even if it’s a great-sounding deal or indicates it’ll provide useful information, it’s best to avoid interacting with the message altogether. Always go direct to the source and interact with reputable companies.”
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To help stay ahead of the scammers, McAfee Labs has provided a pair of easy-to-remember tips to help you avoid the worst Christmas cons.
Think before you click | Cybercriminals rely on phishing emails or fake websites to lure you into clicking links that could lead to malware. If you receive an email asking you to click on a link, even if the sale, discount code, or prize draw sounds great – it's always better to avoid interacting with the message altogether. Close your Gmail, Outlook, Hotmail or Yahoo inbox and go directly to the source instead. If the email was legitimate, you’ll be able to find the same deal there.
Worry about a deal that seems too good to be true | As the old adage goes – if something sounds too good to be true ...it probably is. Most scams try to create a false sense of urgency to prey on a heightened emotional state. Always take a second to pause before you rush to interact with any message that’s threatening or urgent, especially one sent from an unknown or unlikely sender.
