Was Your Spidey Sense Triggered? How to Avoid Holiday Scams.

sarah hannah
Nov 21
6 min read

Updated: Nov 25

Stay Buttoned Up & Cybersecure, Don't Let Scammers Steal Your Holiday Cheer – Make Sure All Your Devices are Secure and Avoid Holiday Scams

How to Avoid Holiday Scams with Holiday Cybersecure Checklist

The holidays are supposed to be about joy, giving and maybe eating one too many cookies. But while you're decking the halls and checking items off your shopping list, cybercriminals are working overtime to make your season decidedly less merry.

Here's the thing: holiday scams aren't just increasing—they're getting more sophisticated, more convincing and more profitable for the bad guys. But don't worry – we're here to help you button up your digital defenses so the only surprise you get this season is the one under the tree.

In this blog we'll cover why the holidays create prime conditions for scammers.

Top holiday scams
How each scam works and what red flags to look for
Practical “stay safe” tips to avoid falling for seasonal cyber traps
A full Holiday Checklist (before shopping, while shopping and ongoing)
What to do if you’ve been scammed (step-by-step)
The core takeaway: staying alert, skeptical and secure during the holiday rush
Closing reminder + invitation to contact Focus IT for business cybersecurity support

Why the Holidays Are Prime Time for Scammers

A recent Norton survey shows that nearly 1 in 3 Americans may fall victim to a costly holiday scam this season, and we’re here to help you stay ahead of them.

Think about what you and those you know might be doing in November and December behavior. You're might be:

Shopping online more than usual (hello Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals)
Clicking on shipping notifications constantly
Donating to charities
Opening emails from retailers you've never heard of
Possibly stressed, rushed and distracted

Scammers know this…and they're counting on it. During the holidays, our guard drops just enough to make us vulnerable – and cybercriminals exploit that window with military precision – especially with the help of AI and AI bots.

The Naughty List: Top Holiday Scams to Watch For

Fake Shipping Notifications

You ordered 17 things from 12 different websites. When that text arrives saying "Your package couldn't be delivered—click here to reschedule," you don't think twice, you click on it and that leads to right to the scam.

The scam: These fraudulent shipping alerts look identical to legitimate ones from FedEx, UPS, USPS or Amazon. Click the link, and you're either downloading malware or handing over personal information to criminals.

Stay safe: Check the sender's actual email address (and domain after the @) or phone number. Go directly to the carrier's official website or app to track packages—never click links or attachments in unexpected messages. When in doubt, you can always call or live chat the company (from their website) you ordered from as well.

Too-Good-To-Be-True Deals

That PlayStation 5 for $199? The designer handbag for 90% off? The luxury vacation package that seems impossibly cheap?

The scam: Fake e-commerce sites pop up like mushrooms after rain during the holidays. They take your money, steal your credit card info and you never see that "great deal" or your cash again.

Stay safe: Research unfamiliar retailers before buying. Check for HTTPS in the store’s website link or URL, read reviews from various sources and trust your gut. If it seems too good to be true, it absolutely is.

Charity Fraud

The holidays bring out our generous side, which unfortunately also brings out scammers pretending to be legitimate charities.

The scam: Fake charity websites, phone calls or even in-person solicitations collect "donations" that go straight into criminals' pockets. Some use names eerily similar to real organizations, and may look like organizations you’ve donated to in the past.

Stay safe: Donate directly through the organizations official website or verify the charity of your choice through resources like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance. Never give to anyone who pressures you for immediate payment or asks for gift cards – the urgency is also a clear sign of a nefarious player.

Gift Card Scams

Gift cards are the currency of scammers. They're untraceable, non-refundable and easy to convert to cash.

The scam: there are many, here are a couple of big ones.

Someone impersonating your boss, a government agency or tech support claims there's an urgent problem that can only be solved by purchasing gift cards and sharing the codes.
You buy a gift card that's already been drained by thieves who tampered with it in-store. They are clever in that the card never looks like it’s been altered so you can’t tell it was ever opened.

Stay safe: No legitimate organization will ever demand payment in gift cards. Period. When buying gift cards, check for tampering—scratched-off PIN areas or loose packaging are red flags.

Social Media Marketplace Scams

Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, EBay and other platforms are gold mines for holiday shopping—and for scammers.

The scam: Fake sellers list hot-ticket items, collect payment (often through untraceable methods like Venmo or Zelle), and then vanish. Or they're "shipping" items that never arrive.

Stay safe: Meet in person whenever possible, use secure payment methods with buyer protection and NEVER wire money to strangers. If someone refuses to meet locally or insists on specific payment methods, walk away.

Holiday Job Scams

Need extra cash for the holidays? Scammers are posting fake seasonal job listings to steal your identity or money.

The scam: Fake employers collect personal information (Social Security numbers, bank details, etc.) during the "hiring process" or ask you to pay for training, equipment or background checks.

Stay safe: Research companies thoroughly (through their HTTPS secure websites), never pay to get a job and be wary of jobs that seem too easy or too lucrative. Legitimate employers don't conduct interviews solely through text or ask for payment upfront.

AI-Powered Scams

Welcome to 2025, where artificial intelligence has made scams terrifyingly realistic.

The scam: Deepfake videos of CEOs, AI-generated voices of family members in distress calling for help (again urgency is a clear sign) and hyper-personalized phishing emails that reference real details about your life.

Stay safe: Establish verification protocols with family members (a code word for emergencies). If something feels off, hang up and call back using a known number. Question everything and use your inner detective, even if it looks and sounds legit.

Your Holiday Security Checklist

Ready to fortify your defenses? Here's your action plan to avoid holiday scams:

Before You Shop:

Update your devices and software
Enable multi-factor authentication on all accounts
Use a password manager to create unique passwords and manage them long-term
Review your credit card and bank statements regularly for suspicious activity
Set up transaction alerts on all your cards and accounts

While You Shop:

Avoid using public Wi-Fi in general and especially for purchases
Use credit cards instead of debit cards (better fraud protection)
Consider virtual credit card numbers for online purchases
Save confirmation emails and screenshots
Monitor your credit report

When You Receive Messages:

Verify the sender (using methods above) before clicking any links
Look for spelling errors, odd wording, generic greetings and urgent language
Hover over links to see the actual URL before clicking
When in doubt, navigate to secure HTTPS websites directly

Throughout the Season:

Educate family members, especially elderly relatives and kids
Secure your home network and IoT (Internet of Things, i.e. Alexa) devices
Shred documents with personal information
Be skeptical of unsolicited contact

Long-term, you an also put a lock on your credit via the credit bureaus, such as TransUnion and Experian, directly. The main thing there is to remember that anytime you’re applying for something like a new car, you’ll need to unlock the account first.

What to Do If You've Been Scammed

Despite your best efforts, scams happen. If you suspect you've been targeted:

Act immediately: Contact your bank or credit card company to freeze accounts and dispute charges
Change passwords on compromised accounts
Report it: File reports with the BBB, FTC (IdentityTheft.gov), FBI's IC3 (Internet Crime Complaint Center), your local police and maybe even your local online groups via Facebook or Ring Camera
Document everything: Save emails, texts, screenshots and transaction records
Monitor your credit: Place fraud alerts or credit freezes if necessary
Don't be embarrassed: Scammers are professionals, and anyone can be fooled

The Bottom Line in Avoiding Holiday Scams?

Phishing scams are inevitable during peak holiday and sales seasons, but being a victim doesn't have to be. The most powerful tool in your cybersecurity arsenal is awareness—knowing what to look for, questioning suspicious communications and trusting your instincts.

This holiday season, give yourself the gift of security. Take 15 minutes to update passwords, enable multi-factor authentication and have a conversation with your family about staying safe online – maybe even setting that special code word so you all know it. It's not the most exciting holiday activity (definitely less fun than cookies), but it's infinitely better than spending your January recovering from identity theft.

Stay alert, stay skeptical and stay secure. And remember: when something seems off, it probably is. Your future self—the one enjoying a scam-free holiday season—will thank you.

Need help buttoning up your business's cybersecurity this holiday season?

Focus IT specializes in comprehensive security solutions that protect your company from seasonal scams and year-round threats. Contact us today for a security assessment that'll help you sleep better at night—even during the chaotic holiday rush.

Happy (and safe) holidays from all of us at Focus IT!