Looking for a gift for your soulmate on February 14th and think that a gift card would be a nice option?
Just remember that when digital trends rapidly rise in popularity with customers, they are also gaining traction with scammers looking to use them as bait.
Kaspersky has spotted a wave of phishing and malicious campaigns aimed at gift card owners and people searching for digital presents for loved ones. According to their latest global survey, 80% of respondents are considering gifts like subscriptions, gaming credits, or gift cards. Scammers are taking advantage of this trend by using big brand names, setting up fake online shops, and even building phony verification sites to steal the value of gift cards.
Kaspersky’s phishing detection identified deceptive platforms that offer victims a “secure” system to check the validity, status, or balance of their gift cards. Targeting those who recently received a gift card, phishers steal the card’s identification data and get an opportunity to activate the certificate before the user themselves.
As gift shoppers flood online marketplaces with flash sales and limited-time deals, cybercriminals are watching closely, ready to strike when users are most vulnerable.
“As Valentine’s Day approaches, cybercriminals may increase their efforts to exploit the emotional vulnerability and romantic spirit that define this holiday. They’re creating fake gift card websites, spoofing popular retailers, and launching phishing campaigns that prey on your desire to make your loved ones happy. The best defense is to stick to well-known retailers, check URLs carefully, apply a security solution with advanced phishing detection, and remember that if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is,” comments Anton Yatsenko, Lead Web Content Analyst at Kaspersky.
