As 2025 winds down, millions rush online for deals and last-minute deals, gift-cards and holiday discounts, sharing more personal and financial information than at any other time.

Crowded online marketplaces full of distracted, hurried shoppers are a holiday feast for hackers. Fake stores, counterfeit gift cards, and malicious delivery updates are just the start.

These attacks are meant to trick people and steal from them. Hackers take advantage of shoppers’ panic, excitement, fear of missing out, and rushed decisions, which can make it easy to miss warning signs.

But this isn’t just a consumer problem.

Employees fall for the same traps at home, any trouble on your own device, like reused passwords, a hacked inbox, or synced BYOD accounts, can spill into the company’s systems fast. One compromised login, one careless click, can give hackers access to corporate systems, sensitive data, and customer information.

Personal mistakes can become corporate crises overnight, but by staying alert and taking a few simple steps, you can enjoy the festivities worry-free.

How holiday online behavior can impact work security.

Making sure your employees are cyber-aware may feel like a small, optional task, but the truth is it’s central to protecting the business, especially during the holiday season.

In today’s world of remote work, personal devices, and cloud services, the line between personal and professional life is almost invisible.

Hackers know this and exploit the overlap, targeting employees’ personal accounts with highly tailored attacks. Password reuse, unsecured devices, or careless clicks don’t just threaten personal information, they can put sensitive company data and systems at risk.

The good news is that awareness and small, mindful actions can turn the tables.

 

Festive scams to watch out for

During the festive season, attackers use extreme personalization to make their scams feel legitimate. They study shopping habits, delivery routines, and recent activities to craft messages that are hard to distinguish from the real thing.

Fake delivery updates are the most common, arriving shortly after a purchase and leading to cloned sites designed to steal login or payment details.

Phishing emails often reference brands you’ve recently used or deals you’ve viewed, while fake stores are tailored to your browsing history, using targeted ads to capture card information.

Social media scams exploit your interests and searches, promoting convincing giveaways or restock alerts from your favorite brands.

Charity fraud plays on the season of goodwill, imitating organizations and campaigns you’ve supported to take advantage of generosity.

Subscription or payment renewal scams mimic genuine invoices or account alerts.

All these attacks rely on personalization, but with awareness and caution, you can stay one step ahead.

 

Don’t giftwrap your personal information

Staying one step ahead of holiday-season scams doesn’t have to be complicated, small, consistent habits can make a big difference.

The most obvious step is often the most important: use strong, unique passwords for every account, and enable two-factor authentication wherever possible. Different passwords mean that if one account is compromised, hackers can’t automatically access your others, limiting potential damage.

Next, pause before you click. Check sender addresses, watch for typos, and avoid links or attachments in messages that seem urgent, even if they appear familiar. When tracking deliveries, go directly to the retailer’s official site or app rather than following emailed links.

On social media, question promotions or giveaways. Verify offers through the brand’s official channels, only use recognized links, and if necessary, close the app and check the official site before clicking anything.

Finally, take a moment before entering payment details or responding to any request. A short pause can prevent a costly mistake.

These scams rely on speed and distraction, so slow down, check all links, verify first, and stay alert.

This festive season, a little caution goes a long way, keeping both personal and corporate data safe while letting everyone enjoy the holidays with confidence.

This article was written by Cywareness, a company specializing in cybersecurity awareness.

As part of its mission, Cywareness continues to monitor emerging trends, analyze real-world attacks, and share practical insights to help organizations stay ahead in today’s evolving threat landscape.