It seems as if every year, there’s a new scam for consumers to be worried about. 2018 is no different, as a new scam is spreading this holiday season. It works by tricking you into thinking you’ve bought something when you didn’t. So, how does this scam work and how can you prevent it from taking advantage of you?
Scam artists are great at picking apart human behavior and striking at the right time. Currently, millions of Americans are shopping online for their loved ones. How many of us have been buying gifts? With that comes a bit of concern for privacy. We have an expectation that while we’re on Amazon or other e-commerce sites that our data is protected.
When we shop online, we often get an email correspondence from that website thanking us for our purchase. Scammers are hoping to use this busy online buying system to trick users into thinking someone stole their card and was making unapproved purchases. They’ll receive a malicious email citing an online purchase was made.
“The kind of spam that criminals use doesn’t seem so spammy to a lot of people this time of year,” said F-Secures Behavioral Science analyst Adam Sheehan in a statement. “The failed delivery notification scam works because it plays on our trust of huge brands that we deal with on a nearly constant basis.”
The “Science” Within Scam Emails
F-Secure conducted a study that found people are 39% more likely to click on phishing scam emails during the holiday season. The scammers pretend to be a reputable brand you probably shop at. It’s easy to get caught up in the emotion of the season. In this way, the scam artists are like amateur behavioral therapists who understand human behavior.
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“They know we’re inclined to click first before we ask questions,” the cybersecurity firm said. They count on us being extra busy and distracted. 69% of the spam campaigns attempted to get the users to visit their fake website and download malware-filled software. By doing that, they can gain access to your credit card or bank account information.
“They [criminals] use this information to take over accounts or use the credit cards to steal goods and services online,” Wilk said.
How to Protect Yourself this Holiday Season
The best way to protect yourself is to remain vigilant over your purchases. If you keep track of what you buy and keep a close eye on your bank account, it will be difficult to catch you off guard. It’s also important to buy only from secure sites, which guarantee your information is protected at all times.
You can also help yourself by not clicking on every email you get. Train yourself in looking for scams, so you can avoid them at all costs. Rather than using the link provided in the email, go to the website instead to check what you actually bought. You’ll find more often than not that the email was an attempt to scam you.
