12 Holiday Cyber Scams of December (and How to Avoid Them)

A Business Guide for Year-End Security

December is one of the most dangerous months for organizations. Employees are distracted, IT teams are stretched thin, and many companies operate with reduced staffing during the last two weeks of the year. Cybercriminals are aware of this—and they consistently exploit the holiday season with highly targeted attacks.

From phishing campaigns disguised as shipping notifications to fraudulent invoices and credential harvesting, year-end scams can lead to data breaches, payroll fraud, business email compromise (BEC) scams, and costly downtime.

This guide outlines 12 holiday cyber scams that businesses must be prepared for in December, along with the practical steps your organization can take to reduce risk.

1) Fake Online Stores Targeting Company Cards

Employees often make year-end purchases on behalf of the company, including equipment, gifts, event supplies, and travel. Attackers create legitimate-looking websites designed to capture corporate card numbers or deliver malware.

Risks to businesses:

• Corporate credit card theft
• Drive-by malware downloads
• Fake invoices or fraudulent chargebacks

How to mitigate:

• Require employees to purchase only from preapproved vendors
• Use virtual cards with spend limits
• Block risky domains with DNS filtering

2) Gift Card Scams

Holiday-themed BEC scams surge in December. Attackers impersonate executives, asking employees to urgently purchase gift cards “for client appreciation” or for internal events.

Organizational impact:

• Direct financial loss
• Increased exposure to follow-up phishing attacks
• Reputational harm if clients are targeted

Controls:

• Train staff to verify all unexpected requests
• Create explicit internal policies forbidding gift card purchases via email

3) Shipping & Delivery Phishing Emails

Corporate mailrooms and administrative staff are frequent targets. Fake FedEx/UPS/USPS notices are used to deliver credential phishing or malware.

Business consequences:

• Compromised email accounts
• Initial access for ransomware groups
• Malware spread within the network

Best practices:

• Block attachments from unknown senders
• Route all tracking through official carrier portals
• Provide a straightforward process for verifying package notifications

4) Fake Charities Targeting Employee Generosity

Scammers leverage corporate giving programs and match incentives. Employees may donate through fake sites using company email accounts, exposing corporate data.

Risks:

• Business email compromise via reused credentials
• Misuse of company philanthropic messaging
• Employee financial loss

What to implement:

• Publish a vetted list of approved charities
• Block known fraudulent donation domains
• Add reminders about secure giving practices

5) Travel Booking Scams Hitting Corporate Travelers

Year-end business travel, conferences, and relocations increase the attack surface.

Threats include:

• Fake booking confirmations
• Spoofed hotel and airline websites
• Fraudulent loyalty program scams

Mitigation:

• Require travel booked through a centralized platform
• Enable MFA for travel portals
• Provide employees with a checklist for verifying reservations

6) Fake Purchase Orders & Invoice Scams

Attackers send fraudulent invoices or PO confirmations disguised as holiday procurement rushes.

Why it works:

Finance teams are often overwhelmed by year-end processing, and attackers capitalize on the resulting urgency and volume.

Controls:

• Mandatory secondary approval for late-year invoices
• Verification of vendor bank account changes
• Invoice-matching automation to reduce manual mistakes

7) Fake Social Media Giveaways Targeting Company Accounts

Corporate social channels are targeted with phishing links, fake partner “collabs,” and credential harvesting campaigns.

Impact:

• Hijacked social media accounts
• Brand damage
• Loss of customer trust

Prevention:

• Require Multi-Factor Authentication on all social accounts
• Centralize account ownership under the marketing or IT team
• Train staff not to click unsolicited offers

8) Malicious Holiday E-Cards Sent to Employees

Attackers disguise malware as digital holiday cards from vendors, clients, or the Human Resources department.