News Insights: Failed delivery spam especially effective during the holiday season

Online shoppers are more vulnerable to spam as an attack vector this holiday season. Disguised as delivery notifications or online shopping invoices, spam campaigns have been popular with cyber criminals all year long, and researchers say these tactics can prove even more effective around the holidays

According to Ryan Wilk, VP of Customer Success for NuData Security, a Mastercard company, “Phishing for shoppers heats up right before the holidays as cybercriminals count on consumers being in a hurry when reaching for a coupon or trying to find a limited product online. These attacks are one of the strategies cybercriminals use to snag consumer credit card or account information. They use this information to take over accounts or use the credit cards to steal goods and services online. While consumers should stay vigilant regarding the links they are clicking on, many online retailers are now implementing a multi-layered approach to identify real customers from those fraudsters using stolen information. With passive biometrics and behavioral analytics layers merchants worldwide are able to determine if the legitimate user is accessing and transacting on the account or if it is a cybercriminal at work, protecting online buyers and businesses from fraud.”