The 12 Scams of Christmas: #7
Christmas is a time of giving, of spending time with loved ones, and of celebrating the birth of Christ. This Christmas season, make sure you can focus on the true meaning of Christmas by avoiding scams. Follow along with our 12 Scams of Christmas series to learn more about the most common scams encountered around the holidays and make sure to use browser protection to avoid holiday scams occurring online.
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me: 7 Malware E-Cards
And the romance scammer of my dreams
How do Malware E-Card Scams Work?
Around the holiday season, many of us like to send greetings to our loved ones. One of many ways to do this is by sending Holiday E-Cards.
In this scam, victims receive an email with a subject line similar to “You have received a Christmas Greeting Card”. In these emails, victims are asked to click on a link or download an attachment containing their greeting card.
Upon clicking the malicious link or downloading the attachment, instead of receiving the promised E-Card, instead, malware is installed on their computer.
How can I avoid malware e-card scams?
Use browser protection to automatically block websites containing malware or other scams.
Only open attachments or click on links sent to you by trusted people or companies. If you haven’t heard of a company before, do a quick search online for them BEFORE clicking on any links or downloading attachments.
Look for any misspellings or grammar mistakes in the email’s text. These are often a first indication that an email you received isn’t legitimate.
