19 December 2023 , 07:49
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If like me you are waiting for endless parcels to be delivered after a day of Christmas shopping online, beware. Cyber thieves are using this festive period to attack consumers and it's really easy to get caught out. Having ordered a stocking full of gifts for friends and family I recently checked my inbox to see a message from courier firm UPS which claimed an order I'd placed had been delayed. Without thinking I opened the email and was told a parcel was waiting for me and "scheduled for delivery" that day. All UPS needed was for me to verify the parcel and get things moving again.
The email featured full UPS branding and even appeared to show a photo of my actual package - it all seemed very authentic. Luckily, I've been writing about scams for many years and on closer inspection alarm bells instantly started ringing.
Firstly, my full name was nowhere to be seen on the email and it featured telltale signs such as words followed by exclamation marks - such as Click here!! and Today!! - that's something real companies would never dream of adding.
Of course, adding a layer of urgency is all designed to make you tap before thinking - but don't tap as it could be costly.
Despite knowing it was a scam I continued the journey to see what would happen next and was soon shown an official-looking website that asked me to confirm a new shipping date and pay a £2 fee. It's here the scammers grab personal data including name, address, date of birth and credit card details which can then be used to steal money or buy things online without your permission.
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If you get any delivery messages that aren't blocked by the usual spam filters then make sure you really have a parcel out for delivery. If you're unsure, give the company a call using an official telephone number - which can usually be found online.
Confirming that it never asks for additional payments to be made, UPS said in a statement online, "Please be advised that UPS does not request payments, personal information, financial information, account numbers, IDs, passwords, or copies of invoices in an unsolicited manner through e-mail, mail, phone, or fax or specifically in exchange for the transportation of goods or services."
My own experience of email scams comes after experts warned that email users face a flurry of attacks this month.
In fact, the security team at McAfee Labs say they expect 10 million online threats to be released during the festive period.
If that wasn't bad enough, it seems that millions of us are still being fooled by these tactics with stats suggesting that 1 in 5 Brits have previously been the victim of a scam during the festive shopping period.
“It’s critical that Brits online safety and data privacy top of mind throughout the Christmas period, to keep the holidays merry and avoid the cyber grinch,” commented Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee. “With an additional 10 million online threats expected on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, it’s never been more important to cast a sceptical eye over any festive deals or unexpected order and delivery updates. Even if an email or text looks legitimate, it’s always best to go direct to the source, whether it’s an online retailer or delivery provider.”
If you have an email account, be alert and think before opening any messages or clicking on any links.