Holiday Phishing: Protect Your Business and Personal Data

Cybercriminals love to use the holidays as a time to exploit distractions, rushed shopping, and the urgency that the holiday season brings to both businesses and individuals. It's a perfect time to attack small businesses as they often face skeleton crews and year-end pressures, while individuals juggle family plans and deals. It only takes one click to compromise your accounts, finances, and/or sensitive data. Avoid getting caught up in a phishing scam with these tips.

Holiday Phishing Traps Targeting Businesses

Phishers sometimes mimic UPS/FedEx package delays, "urgent" vendor invoices, HR gift card rewards, or even fake charity drives. Their emails push for quick logins or invoice approvals, leading to credential theft or ransomware.

Red Flags to Look Out for in Work Emails:

• Generic senders like "billing@ups-support.net" (not official domains).

• Panic language: "Payment due in 24 hours or service suspended!"

• Hover over links (don't click!) to reveal fake URLs.

• Scan attachments before opening to avoid malware.

Business Prevention Steps:

• Verify suspicious requests by calling vendors directly using known, trusted phone numbers from your records.

• Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all email, CRM, and payroll systems for an extra layer of protection.

• Use secure email gateways to automatically scan and block risky attachments before they reach inboxes.

• Run holiday-themed phishing training sessions for your team. Aim for a 90%+ reporting rate where most employees correctly identify and flag fake emails.

  
  

Holiday Phishing Traps Targeting You Personally

Phishers will also sometimes mimic order confirmations (especially from Amazon and Apple), "free gift card" surveys, or bank alerts about "suspicious activity." Their messages push for quick logins or address updates, leading to stolen shopping credentials or malware infections.

Red Flags for Personal Messages:

• Unsolicited texts/emails about orders you didn't place.

• Typos, off logos, or generic greetings like "Dear Customer."

• Links pushing you to "claim your prize now" or asking for payment for "held packages."

Personal Prevention Steps:

• Shop from official apps and never shop after clicking on a link in an email.

• Use unique passwords and multi-factor authentication for shopping/banking sites.

• Pause and call the company directly to confirm any issues.

• Install antivirus software on phones and laptops; scan all holiday downloads and attachments before opening.

The Golden Rule for Phishing Defense

Whether at work or home, the golden rule is pause before clicking. Report suspects to IT department for any business phishing attempts, or delete/block any suspicious emails/text messages in your personal accounts. Holiday phishing costs millions in losses. Your vigilance protects revenue, customers, and family peace.

Stay safe this season. Spot the scams, break the chain, and enjoy the holidays!