Tips to avoid fraud when shopping online for Christmas

‘Tis the season – Phishmas season, says cybersecurity expert David Shipley.

“This is the most wonderful time of the year for criminals,” said the CEO of Fredericton-based Beauceron Security.

“This is the time of year when crime increases in line with the big sales, deals and purchases you see.”

Shipley said security companies have reported the registration of thousands of fraudulent websites in recent months.

“McAfee, one of the best-known antivirus companies, says it stopped 81,000 different ongoing scams in the first month of ramp-up this online shopping season. And that’s just one provider, a canary in the digital coal mine.” “

At the same time, buyers feel the pressure of having everything wrapped and ready under the Christmas tree and not breaking their budget to do so.

Shipley said scammers are “most effective” when consumers are overwhelmed and desperate.

He said they were so sophisticated that it was very difficult to tell the difference between them and reputable retailers – even the biggest retailers had pretty convincing clones.

“And so it becomes even more difficult to see: Is this real? Is this a fake?”

It could be as subtle as a small difference in the name of a well-known retailer, “and when you’re in a rush, you don’t notice those small changes.”

Shipley said scammers often use phishing emails aimed at tapping into our emotions. So if they can excite you, if they can scare you, they can make you do things you wouldn’t normally do, often in a calm state.”

He said it’s pretty easy to fall into a scammer’s trap.

“You know, it’s Friday morning, you’ve had a rough night. Maybe there was a power outage, maybe…kids are late for school,” Shipley said.

“All these other things are happening, and you’re trying to stay on budget, and all of a sudden an email comes along saying you’re getting 75 percent off what you were really looking for, really hard.”

You click on the link and it looks just like the website you know. So you give in and give your credit card number.

“It’s all that simple,” Shipley said.

His advice is to slow down and consider what you’re looking at before hitting the buy button.

“Take it easy, won’t you? Have a plan. ‘I go here, here and here.’ Don’t rely on links and emails in social media ads.”

Go directly to online retailers and use things like Apple Pay or Google Pay that don’t reveal your credit card number, he said.

If it happens to you

If you fall victim to a scammer, Shipley recommends contacting your financial institution so they can freeze your cards and begin an investigation.

You should also make sure that you are not infected with malware.

And be kind to those who fell for the scams, Shipley said. After all, scammers have become much more sophisticated since the early days of clumsily worded and typo-ridden attempts.

“Do not be angry with your mother or father or with your children or others because they have fallen victim to what you obviously see as fraud. It was all about her humanity. It wasn’t about their intelligence.”

Shipley said victims are often told to call the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.

“And while the staff there is great, they are woefully underequipped for the challenge.”

According to the center, 40,623 reports were processed in 2024 (as of October 31). It is estimated that Canadians have lost more than $500 million to scams so far this year.

Shipley said it is generally believed that only a fraction of financial losses are reported to police. He estimates total losses are probably closer to $6 billion.

New Brunswickers have lost $3.2 million to fraud, according to the center’s most recent annual report.