The holiday season has become synonymous with online shopping as consumers take to the web to find the best Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, as well as stock up on Christmas presents. As these special days draw nearer it is important for consumers to be aware that cybercrime peaks over this period and cybercriminals have intentions that are anything but festive.

Why does cybercrime escalate over the holiday period?

The increase in e-commerce activity and large number of online shoppers means that cybercriminals have a bigger network of potential victims and by extension an opportunity to steal more money. Furthermore, shoppers tend to be more relaxed during the festive season, meaning that they are more likely to overlook suspicious online activity. What’s more, is that specials and deals are more believable during this period. Online scams are one of the biggest threats to consumers in terms of cybercrime according to a report by Interpol, and they are anticipated to rise over the holiday period.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of the most common cybercrimes and how to avoid them. We suggest you check it twice.

Fake sites

Websites that are designed to look like the brand’s authentic site can be difficult to recognise as a scam. However, what distinguishes these websites from the genuine ones, is that they often feature deals and sales that seem too good to be true. Once you click on these deals and supply your banking details, cybercriminals will store them to use for themselves.

How to identify fake sites:

• Always check the website address to see if it starts with ‘https’, as the ‘s’ stands for secure and verifies the authenticity of the site.
• Keep your eyes peeled for any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, or missing content, such as contact information, etc.

Phishing emails

Phishing schemes involve sending out emails that trick recipients into downloading an attachment, following a link, or logging into an account. When you think of all of the holiday-related emails you will receive over the next two months, it’s easy to see how a phishing email may go undetected.

How to identify phishing emails:

• Make sure to check the sender’s email address for any suspicious typos or names. For example, organisations will not send an email from an account ending in ‘gmail.com’, this is a clear giveaway that it is a personal account.
• Double-check that the spelling of the organisation/company is correct in the email address. If it is incorrect, it is most likely a cybercriminal.
• Phishing emails often create a sense of urgency by asking the recipient to complete an action immediately or face a consequence like having an account suspended, or in drastic cases being threatened by arrest. This is another red flag as this is done to get the recipient to complete the action before thinking it through or questioning the sender’s authenticity.

• Gift cards

Fake gift cards are a lucrative way for cybercriminals to steal money, because unlike credit cards it is virtually impossible to get a chargeback. There are a few different ways these gift card scams work. The first is that a scammer calls, pretending to be a legitimate company, and asks to be paid in the form of a gift card. By the time you realise that something might not be adding up, the gift card will have already been spent. Fake gift card activation sites are another type of gift scam. These are set up to gather your personal information and/or steal the value of your gift card. The third gift card related scam is when cybercriminals set up third-party websites where you can buy gift cards from reputable brands at discounted prices. These gift cards are of course, not genuine and therefore cannot be used. So, next time you think of buying a gift card for that fussy mother-in-law double check that it is legitimate.

How to identify gift card scams:

• Only purchase gift cards directly from the brand’s website.
• Never pay for a service in the form of a gift card.
• When activating your gift card never search for your gift card number online, instead go straight to the brand’s website.

Additional cyber security tips for the holidays:

• Regularly check electronic statements and debit/credit card balances.
• Use strong passwords and use different passwords for different accounts.
• Set up two-factor authentication for important accounts, such as your email, banking, and social media.

Given the sophistication and escalation of cybercrime in South Africa, we encourage consumers to exercise caution when shopping online during this holiday period. By following the outlined advice and keeping your eyes open for anything suspicious you can avoid falling victim to cybercrime and ensure that your festive season is filled with joy and good fortune.

For more information about cybercrime insurance, please contact an Indwe advisor on 0860 13 13 14 or indwe@indwe.co.za.

Indwe Risk Services (Pty) Ltd is an authorised FSP 3425.