HOLIDAY RISKS: SHOPPING SCAMS IN RETAIL, TRAVEL AND HOSPITALITY

This post was originally published here by Ā (ISC)Ā² Management.

UPS, FedEx, USPS and other delivery workers have been on overdrive for weeks. Online shopping can ease the stress of the season, but is it safer to confront the crowds?

Letā€™s be honest, consumers are not waiting until off hours to fill their digital carts. Hackers prey on the knowledge that itā€™s ever more difficult for end users to distinguish the difference between fraudulent and valid emails, which presents security issues to the enterprise as well. For the cybersecurity of end users (and the companies where they work) many headlines this week, have shared tips on how to avoid falling victim to a scam.

SinceĀ Black Friday and Cyber Monday, weā€™ve seen a lot of news highlighting the threats to consumer data with online shopping. As the holiday shopping season comes to a close, shoppers are still being warned to heed caution. Yes, phishing scams pose real threats to consumers and enterprises alike.

Itā€™s easy to get swept away in the fear, uncertainty and doubt theĀ security of e-commerce. Here are just a few highlights of buyer beware stories that may very well be security vulnerabilities. Itā€™s worth noting, though, that some present very littleĀ actualĀ risk, particularly to those who click with caution.

Weekly-Security-Headlines

Dec. 18.Ā Yes, phishing scams increase at this time of year, but the reality is that online threats to privacy and data exist around the clock every day of the year. Itā€™s good to be vigilant now, but itā€™s also important to remain on alert andĀ practice good digital hygiene all year long.

Dec. 19.Ā Buyers werenā€™t really being aware of the risks when they sawĀ the promise of a great online deal. The holidays are not a time when anyone wants to learn the hard way, but these shoppers sat waiting for gifts that never came.

Dec. 20.Ā Malicious emails about package delivery issues have increased for bothĀ Amazon and UPSĀ as well. This shopping guide comprises several popular scams to be cautious of in ordering and waiting for the delivery of packages.

TheĀ Better Business Bureau warns about the prevalence of these scams, which makes it more difficult to realize the security measures that are in place to protect against online threats.

Dec. 21.Ā The FedEx email scam in which theĀ subject line reads: “FedEx: Delivery Problems NotificationĀ preys on shopper anxiety and does pose actual risk. If a user clicks on the attachment, it delivers a virus when opened.

Online retailers are not the only way that scammers are trying to lure consumers into scams. Thereā€™s also aĀ growing black market trade in heavily discounted travel services.

In this episode of ā€œThe Sourceā€, experts weigh in on whetherĀ Shoppers are more vulnerable to cyberattacksĀ during holidays and offer advice on how to protect private data.

Photo:India.com

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