Valentine’s Day is a time for love, appreciation, and heartfelt gifts. Unfortunately, it also presents a prime opportunity for cybercriminals to prey on unsuspecting individuals and businesses. The increased online activity surrounding Valentine’s Day creates a fertile ground for scams, phishing attacks, and fraudulent schemes that can lead to devastating consequences, including data breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage.
This blog post outlines five common Valentine’s Day cyberthreats businesses should be aware of and provides actionable steps to mitigate these risks.
Phishing scams
Phishing scams use deceptive emails, texts, or social media messages that mimic legitimate communications from well-known retailers, delivery companies, or individuals the target trusts. These messages often contain malicious links or attachments that can steal sensitive information.
Protect yourself and your team from phishing scams with these key strategies:
- Educate your team: Train employees to recognize red flags, such as emails with typos, grammatical mistakes, generic greetings (e.g., Dear Customer), or enticing subject lines (e.g., Exclusive Valentine’s Day Gift Inside!, Claim Your Valentine’s Reward Now.)
- Verify the sender: Encourage staff to scrutinize email addresses for inconsistencies and confirm the sender’s identity through official channels before taking any action.
- Avoid suspicious links: Do not click on links or download attachments from unknown or untrusted sources. When in doubt, always err on the side of caution.
- Strengthen email security: Implement robust spam filters and anti-phishing software to block malicious messages before they reach your inbox.
| Related reading: Watch out! These social engineering tricks could fool anyone |
Fake online shopping deals
Cybercriminals often set up fraudulent eCommerce sites offering unrealistically low prices on popular Valentine’s Day gifts such as flowers, chocolates, and jewelry. These scams are designed to trick unsuspecting shoppers into providing their payment information, which cybercriminals then steal.
Protect your business and employees from these schemes with these simple tips:
- Advise employees to shop smart: Encourage them to purchase only from trusted and reputable online retailers.
- Check for secure connections: Look for the HTTPS prefix or a padlock icon before the website’s address, which indicates a secure connection.
- Be wary of unbelievable deals: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.
- Use secure payment methods: Recommend using credit cards for online purchases, as they often offer better fraud protection than debit cards.
Fraudulent eCards
Digital Valentine’s Day cards may seem like a thoughtful gesture, but they can also serve as vectors of cyberattacks. Cybercriminals often distribute fake eCards embedded with malicious links or attachments to deliver malware to unsuspecting recipients.
Follow these steps to stay safe:
- Verify the sender: Employees should always confirm the legitimacy of the sender before opening an eCard.
- Avoid clicking email links: Encourage employees to visit the sender’s official website directly instead of clicking links in emails.
- Be wary of downloads: If viewing an eCard requires downloading software, it’s best to avoid proceeding altogether.
Malware from love-themed downloads
Valentine’s Day sparks a surge of love songs, romantic videos, and heart-themed wallpapers shared across the web. Cybercriminals take advantage of this trend by disguising malware as downloadable content, putting devices and sensitive information at risk.
To protect your business from malware-laden, follow these tips:
- Restrict downloads from untrusted sources: Implement policies that prevent employees from downloading files from unknown or unverified websites.
- Regularly update antivirus and security software: Ensure all devices are protected with up-to-date security software.
Fake charity scams
Some cybercriminals exploit goodwill by setting up fake charities, often tied to Valentine’s Day-related causes.
Keep your business safe from these scams by following these steps:
- Research charities carefully: Encourage employees to thoroughly vet any organization before making a donation
- Avoid donating through unsolicited emails: Do not donate through links provided in unsolicited emails, as they may not be legitimate.
- Donate through official channels: Donate directly through the charity’s official website or verified donation platforms.
Protecting your business from cyberthreats requires constant vigilance, not just on Valentine’s Day, but every day. At TEKZYS, we provide cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions to ensure your data and systems remain safe. Get in touch with us today to take the first step toward robust protection.