It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. And the situation is the same every year: people rushing frantically to shops and markets to complete all kinds of last-minute errands, including buying gifts and food, sending greeting cards, and catching trains or planes to reach their loved ones.
As we prepare to rock around the Christmas tree in style, we might forget that fraudsters do not clock out from their sinister day jobs in the spirit of festive goodwill. On the contrary, it is the perfect moment to target us, whether we are strolling through a Christmas online market trying to decide which reindeer jumper would suit our uncle best, or sitting at home pouring our seventh glass of Prosecco while watching Gremlins.
1. Take care with your Christmas e-cards
Surfshark calls Christmas e-cards ‘the perfect Trojan horse,’ a valuable tool for cybercriminals to breach your digital fortress.
In a world where generative AI can create modified digital versions of your family with reindeer bodies to send as greetings to friends, it’s crucial to remember that creating an e-card usually involves disclosing private and sensitive data to companies that could subsequently misuse it to create deepfakes of you.
Surfshark warns: always use an alternative email address or pseudonym, do not upload photos of children, and verify the reputation of the company before you entrust your biometric data.
If you receive an e-card, check the links included with the sender before opening the message in your inbox, as it may contain malware. The same applies to various types of more generic interactive Christmas greetings which may direct you to sites that steal personal information such as your home address or anagraphic information.
2. Don’t blindly trust AI assistants
Over the next few days, we might find ourselves asking GenAI assistants to help us finish our gift list – for example, helping us find items online that are sold out because of the seasonal shopping frenzy.
However, Surfshark experts warn that you should always evaluate the online shopping links that chatbots direct you to, as they may host malicious websites.
To avoid bad surprises, always check AI’s suggestions to links, and never grant unlimited access to your financial data to any chatbot.
3. Relegate unrealistic bargains to your dreams
If you find an ‘incredible deal while shopping online, remember it’s literally written in the word: don’t believe it.
We don’t want to burst your bubble, but if a deal is unrealistically good, it’s probably a scam disguised as a bargain. Surfshark warns: always check the retailer’s official website, look closely at the URL, and other types of unusual typos before accidentally providing your credit card details.
Bargains on shopping apps might also be a trap, with Surfshark recently showing these apps crave personal data. Setting aside a few hours to clean up your phone from potentially privacy-invasive apps can only benefit the security of your private data.
4. Never use a public Wi-Fi unprotected
Among the many commitments that come with Christmas family gatherings, you may find yourself in places where your connection doesn’t work well, tempting you to nonchalantly use the public network without your VPN.
Don’t do it: using the public network is a bit like leaving your front door open to a procession of hackers who can easily steal your financial credentials, email addresses, and personal passwords.
Bonus tip: Protect your phone
Although mobile phone theft has become a very commonly occurring offence throughout the year, the combination of Christmas markets and large festive crowds can only increase the likelihood of it happening.
Always make sure your phone’s anti-theft protections are active, including biometric authentication and facial recognition for when accessing saved passwords or credit cards.
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