Maya was thrilled when she found a pair of name-brand wireless headphones advertised at 70 percent off. The website looked professional, the holiday promotion felt urgent, and she even received a confirmation email minutes after placing her order. But days turned into weeks, and nothing arrived. Her emails and phone calls went unanswered, and soon after, her credit card was used for unauthorized charges. What started as a bargain became a costly lesson. Maya had been tricked by a fake online store designed to scam holiday shoppers.
Unfortunately, Maya’s story is not unique. As online shopping continues to grow, especially during the holiday season, cybercriminals are seizing the opportunity to lure victims with fake websites, counterfeit promotions, and shopping scams.
The SANS Institute recommends the following to protect against online scams:
- Check for contact details (avoid websites with no contact information, broken contact forms, or personal email addresses)
- Search for reviews
- Be wary of payment methods (like sites that sites that only accept wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency)
- Secure your accounts.
If a deal looks too good to be true, it may well be a scam.