Cybercriminals exploit the rush of holiday shopping by impersonating retailers to capture your payment information.
The scam
During peak shopping seasons, criminals set up fraudulent websites or send deceptive communications pretending to be legitimate retailers. They exploit the urgency of gift-giving by claiming account or shipment problems to trick you into clicking malicious links or handing over payment details.
How to stay safe
Verify the sender
Verify the sender before clicking links or opening attachments, and reach retailer websites by typing the URL yourself.
Enable MFA
Enable multi-factor authentication on email and key accounts, and keep your operating system and apps up to date to limit the risk from malicious files.