Holiday Shopping, Phishing, and Malware Scams

11/08/2019 12:03 PM EST

Original release date: November 8, 2019
As this holiday season approaches, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) encourages users to be aware of potential holiday scams and malicious cyber campaigns, particularly when browsing or shopping online. Cyber actors may send emails and ecards containing malicious links or attachments infected with malware or may send spoofed emails requesting support for fraudulent charities or causes.

CISA encourages users to remain vigilant and take the following precautions:

• Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails and be wary of email attachments (see Using Caution with Email Attachments and Avoiding Social Engineering and Phishing Scams).
• Use caution when shopping online (see Shopping Safely Online).
• Verify a charity’s authenticity before making donations. Review the Federal Trade Commission’s page on Charity Scams for more information.