Summer is when most people think about taking holidays and enjoying outdoor activities to make the most of good weather. But cyber criminals don’t take a break during this period. They have scams specifically for this season. Here are three to look out for:
1. Fake holiday offers
If you’ve left booking a holiday until the last minute, you’ll know how expensive it can be. However, don’t be tempted by emails advertising cheap holidays – the reason these offers look too good to be true, is because they are. Scammers will lure you in then either defraud you directly, by selling you a holiday that doesn’t exist, or use it to plant malware that enables them to access your passwords and bank details.
2. Ticketing fraud
Summer is the season for outdoor concerts and music festivals. And tickets to some are in such high demand that people will often pay well above the market price to get their hands on them. This makes them ripe for exploitation by scammers who claim to have spare tickets which they sell at extremely high prices. However, these fake tickets will not be accepted by organisers.
3. Exploiting major sporting events
As with music festivals, summer is when big sporting events happen – the World Cup, the Euros, the Olympics. Many scammers take advantage of these by launching phishing attacks. Every World Cup sees its fair share of scams, and 2022 is no different (although it’s taking place in November this year). Some people have received fake emails claiming to be from FIFA stating they have won $1.5m. The catch? They need to provide bank account details and other personal information to the scammer to receive it.
To avoid these scams, it’s important to use common sense: if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. These scams play with your emotions, using a favourite band or unique experiences to lure you in, so it’s important not to let this cloud your judgement. Instead, check with official ticket sellers, airlines and hotels before handing over your money.