The holiday season is a time for celebration, travel, and much-needed rest—but for businesses, it’s also a peak season for cybercrime. Scammers take advantage of distracted employees, burnt-out teams, and reduced staff availability to launch targeted attacks on businesses.
In 2024, as remote work and digital operations remain the norm, cybercriminals are updating their strategies to exploit these vulnerabilities. From fake invoices to phishing attempts, businesses must stay vigilant. The stakes are high—not just for personal information but also for company data and finances.
Here are the top scams businesses should watch for this holiday season, along with actionable tips to protect your team and your bottom line.
1. Phishing and Smishing Scams
Cybercriminals use email (phishing) and SMS (smishing) to target employees, posing as trusted vendors or partners. These scams exploit the chaos of the holiday season, knowing employees are juggling deadlines, personal commitments, and last-minute tasks. With reduced staffing during the holidays, these scams can easily slip through the cracks.
What to Watch For: Urgent emails or texts claiming issues with invoices, deliveries, or vendor accounts. These messages often include links leading to fake login pages designed to steal credentials.
How to Stay Safe: Train employees to verify suspicious messages independently. Use tools like spam filters and enforce multifactor authentication (MFA) to add an extra layer of protection. Encourage employees to slow down and double-check requests, even during the busiest times.
2. Fake Vendor or Supplier Websites
Scammers create counterfeit websites or send fraudulent invoices that mimic your actual vendors. They rely on employees being too rushed to notice small inconsistencies, such as minor differences in email domains or invoice formats. The urgency of year-end tasks can lead to rushed payments without verification.
What to Watch For: Requests for payment to new bank accounts or altered invoices from supposed suppliers.
How to Stay Safe: Implement a process for verifying all payment requests and changes to account details. Cross-check websites and URLs, ensuring secure connections (look for HTTPS). Remember, a quick phone call to the vendor could save thousands of dollars.
3. Holiday Charity Scams
Corporate giving is popular during the holiday season, but scammers impersonating charities can trick businesses into donating to fake causes. Scammers rely on your goodwill and your desire to make a positive impact during the holidays, making it harder to question their requests.
What to Watch For: Unsolicited donation requests from “charities” with minimal or suspicious details.
How to Stay Safe: Verify charities through trusted resources like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau before contributing. Direct all donations through official channels. Taking the extra step to vet charities protects your generosity from being exploited.
4. Gift Card Scams
Gift cards are a common way to reward employees and partners, making them a target for scammers. Scammers capitalize on the simplicity of gift cards, knowing they’re an easy, untraceable way to steal money from unsuspecting businesses. They may impersonate executives, requesting gift card codes for “employee rewards.”
What to Watch For: Emails or texts from a “manager” urgently requesting gift card purchases.
How to Stay Safe: Educate employees about these scams and implement policies requiring verbal verification for such requests. A consistent approval process ensures these quick scams don’t slip through.
5. Travel Deal Scams
With many employees traveling during the holidays, scammers target business travel bookings with fake deals and phishing emails. They use flashy discounts and fake booking sites to prey on travelers looking for last-minute savings.
What to Watch For: Offers for deeply discounted travel or accommodations requiring immediate payment.
How to Stay Safe: Book travel through trusted platforms and ensure employees are aware of travel-related phishing tactics. A fake deal could lead to lost travel funds and compromised personal information.
6. Package Delivery Scams
As businesses ship gifts or receive packages for the holidays, scammers send fake delivery notifications to trick employees into sharing sensitive information. With the sheer volume of deliveries this season, it’s easy to see how these scams catch busy employees off guard.
What to Watch For: Messages claiming a package delay or an issue requiring payment to be resolved.
How to Stay Safe: Centralize package management and encourage employees to verify shipment details directly with carriers. Criminals know busy holiday schedules can make employees less likely to question suspicious delivery messages.
7. Fake Public Wi-Fi Scams
Employees working remotely while traveling may unknowingly connect to fake public Wi-Fi networks, risking business data. Scammers often set up these networks in high-traffic areas, counting on travelers to prioritize convenience over caution.
What to Watch For: Unsecured or unusually named Wi-Fi networks in airports, hotels, or cafes.
How to Stay Safe: Provide employees with VPN access and emphasize the importance of using secure connections for work. A single unsecured connection could expose sensitive business systems.
Why Businesses Are More Vulnerable During the Holidays
The holidays are a perfect storm for cybercrime. Employees are distracted, traveling, or enjoying time off, leaving fewer people to notice red flags. Cybercriminals know this and use the opportunity to strike when businesses are least prepared.
Protecting your business during the holiday season isn’t just about awareness—it’s about having the right systems in place to monitor and respond to threats 24/7/365.
At Tech-Keys, we make sure your business is secure while you unwind this holiday season. Whether you’re out of the office or simply enjoying the season with your team, you can trust us to keep your business safe.
Stay stress-free this holiday season. Reach out to Tech-Keys today and let us worry about your cybersecurity, so you can focus on what matters most to you and your business!