As the festive season approaches, the excitement of holiday shopping and travel plans fills the air. However, this fun-filled time also brings an increased risk of online scams, making it trickier than ever for shoppers to navigate the digital marketplace safely.

Imagine receiving a call about your recent booking, only to discover that the person on the other end is not who they claim to be, and the dream destination you’ve booked doesn’t actually exist. In a virtual world where things are often no longer what they seem, staying vigilant and informed is crucial to protect yourself from falling victim to these cunning scams, which are becoming increasingly prevalent.

A recent global study by Trend Micro showed that 73% of people think online scams have increased in both volume and risk over the past year. And almost 80% are worried about their family members falling for these tricks. Phishing has become a major issue, especially since cybercriminals are now using AI tools to make their scams more convincing.

To stay safe this festive season, it is essential to understand the various types of online scams that criminals are employing. By remaining informed and vigilant, you can protect yourself and your loved ones from becoming victims of these increasingly sophisticated schemes.

Waiting on orders that never arrive

Black Friday continues to gain traction among South Africans, with FNB reporting a 19% year-on-year increase in transactions during this period. Unsurprisingly, this surge in activity also attracts the attention of hackers. Globally, Trend Micro detected and blocked 424,346 emails promoting fake sales campaigns between November 11 and November 13 last year alone. These emails often feature enticing discounts and contain links to counterfeit online shops offering luxury items at seemingly unbelievable prices.

At best, shoppers may never receive their orders or might receive items of inferior quality. At worst, their personal information, including delivery addresses and financial details, could be compromised by these fraudulent websites.

“As Black Friday approaches, shoppers should anticipate a surge in counterfeit versions of popular retail websites,” warns Zaheer Ebrahim, Solutions Architect at Trend Micro Middle East and Africa. “Cybercriminals use phishing or promotional links on platforms like Facebook to lure unsuspecting shoppers into these fraudulent sites, with the intent of stealing their information.”

The growing popularity of overseas e-commerce platforms such as Shein and Temu is also creating new opportunities for scammers, Ebrahim warns. They are using fake emails, SMS messages, and even phone calls, pretending to be couriers and notifying consumers of a nominal tax fee required for their delivery. “Because you are expecting a delivery from China, for example, you assume the request is legitimate, but it’s not. The scammers use this opportunity to capture your credit card information and purchase items such as Google Play Cards or Apple iTunes vouchers to sell on the dark web.”

Dreaming of destinations that don’t exist

And it’s not just festive season shopping that’s a concern. “Holiday scams are on the uptick,” comments Yash Pillay, Senior Sales Engineer at Trend Micro. “Unsuspecting victims are getting caught on online booking platforms, thinking they are about to embark on an amazing getaway, but their booking simply isn’t legitimate.”

Scammers love to impersonate well-known booking sites, creating phishing websites to capture the login credentials you enter. Pillay explains that deepfakes now also enable fraudsters to fabricate accommodation venues that don’t even exist. These fake destinations often appear incredibly enticing but are actually just AI-generated images designed to deceive.

In addition to fake websites and destinations, scammers are also impersonating the hotel professionals themselves. They send emails to customers, claiming there are issues with their orders and requesting banking details or money transfers to resolve the problem. Alarmingly, these messages often include genuine information about the order, making them all the more convincing and leading many victims to fall for the scam.

How to stay safe online

While this might all seem very daunting, there are tips and tools which consumers can use to remain safe online over the festive season.

Use trusted websites

Try and stick to well-known and reputable online retailers. Remember to verify the URL before clicking on the link by hovering over it and ensuring it matches the legitimate site. At the same time, ensure the website uses ‘https’, as this indicates a secure connection.  And in cases where you’re dealing with an unfamiliar retailer, Pillay recommends vetting these sites by seeking out online reviews.

Be wary of too-good-to-be-true deals

“If an offer seems too good to be true, it probably is,” says Pillay, noting that scammers will often lure victims with the promise of unbelievably low prices. It pays to be sceptical, in particular, of unsolicited emails offering great deals. These might well be phishing attempts to steal your personal information.

Create strong, unique passwords

Make sure you create strong password for your online shopping accounts and avoid using the same password across multiple sites. Whenever possible, enable multi-factor authentication for an added layer of security.

Get help from the latest tools

When in doubt, tools such Trend Micro Check can help give you peace of mind. The multi-featured mobile app is uniquely designed to help you identify potential scams and growing AI threats such as deepfakes. Powered by AI, the solution allows you to submit content such as messages, ads, or social media posts and quickly determine if it can be trusted or not. The app will help you verify if something is a scam before you can be deceived by it.  

With AI technologies getting smarter, scammers are becoming craftier and more sophisticated, especially during the festive season. It’s more important than ever to stay proactive and vigilant. Use these handy tips and tools to keep your online shopping experience merry and safe.