Identity Fraud
Hello! Welcome to the latest edition of Fin AI Briefings. This time, we're going to delve into the world of holiday scams, a growing concern for everyone during the festive season.
The year-end is a time of joy, generosity, and, unfortunately, vulnerability to scams. One common scam that almost always goes around is fraudulent online retailers offering deals that are too good to be true.
Another prevalent tactic is phishing emails that mimic notifications from reputable delivery companies, prompting recipients to click on malicious links to "track" their packages.
Charity scams also spike during the holidays. Scammers exploit the season of giving by setting up fake charities or impersonating real ones, deceiving generous donors into contributing funds that never reach those in need.
We uncover this and so much more in this edition of Fin AI Briefings.
Meta launches global anti-scam awareness campaign ahead of the holiday season [Meta]
Meta’s campaign includes safety tools across Facebook Marketplace, WhatsApp, and Instagram, such as context cards for unknown contacts on WhatsApp and warnings for suspicious interactions on Instagram. Meta has also taken down over two million scam-related accounts this year and is running safety education efforts worldwide.
BBB warns holiday shoppers of the 'gift card draining' scam [WPMI NBC 15]
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) is alerting holiday shoppers to a scam known as "gift card draining," where fraudsters tamper with gift cards to steal funds before recipients can use them.
Pet adoption scams increase during the holidays [The Sun]
Scammers exploit the increased interest in adopting pets during the holiday season by creating fake online listings, often featuring stolen photos, to deceive potential adopters. They typically request advance payments for transportation or other fees, but the promised pets never materialize.
Unmasking digital deception: Phishing, smishing, and vishing attacks explained [The Indian Express]
India's vast and diverse internet user base makes the country a prime target for scams such as phishing, smishing, and vishing. These are cyberattacks designed to steal personal information through deceptive communications. The Indian Express delves into each scam, helping raise awareness.
5 holiday scams that could wreck your season [Mashable]
Mashable lists out five scams consumers should be wary of during the holiday season. These scams include unbelievable deals, non-delivery of merchandise, gift card scams, phishing attempts, and fake charities.
Australians warned of '12 scams of Christmas' fraud risk [Tech Day Australia]
Australians are cautioned about the "12 Scams of Christmas," a series of fraudulent activities targeting festive shoppers. These scams include or are related to parcel delivery, reward points, false tax refunds, impersonation, employment, and more.
Be aware of holiday cyber scams [Jeffrey Corbett]
Here, Jeffrey Corbett sheds light on many holiday scams. The one that stands out is Formjacking, where the personal and financial information of online shoppers is stolen. Here, users get redirected to a fraudulent payment page where cybercriminals steal information like personal details and credit card numbers.
Ho-ho-hold on! Protecting your data from phishing emails this holiday season [Gourav Chakraborty]
Gourav shares tips on how consumers can protect their data from phishing emails. From double-checking the links you’re clicking on to cautioning against using public WiFi, learn how you can protect your data from cybercriminals and avoid falling for scams.
A holiday warning to my subscribers [Charisse Tyson]
Charisse Tyson shares a recent near-miss where a fraudulent PayPal email claiming unauthorized charges almost fooled her, but her suspicion and quick thinking prevented a loss of $6,500. Scammers are getting smarter, replicating logos, and creating convincing scenarios. Charisse urges vigilance: lock your credit, verify every email, and trust your gut.
AI Granny to the rescue? [Shell Game]
A UK telecom company introduced "Daisy," an AI-powered voice agent designed to combat phone scammers. Daisy impersonates a slightly confused elderly woman, engaging fraudsters in prolonged, aimless conversations to waste their time and deter future scams. Reports indicate that Daisy has successfully kept scammers on the line for up to 40 minutes, even providing fictitious banking details when prompted.
Crypto user loses $7.8 million in SolvBTC as phishing scams surge on social media [CryptoSlate]
A crypto user recently lost $7.8 million in SolvBTC—a wrapped Bitcoin product from Solv Protocol—due to a sophisticated phishing attack. The victim was deceived into signing a phishing transaction, which led to the direct transfer of assets to the attacker's precomputed address.
McAfee’s 2024 global holiday shopping scams study highlights growing concerns over AI-powered scams [Business Wire]
The study reveals a significant rise in AI-driven scams, including deepfakes, during the holiday season. Approximately 1 in 3 Americans have fallen victim to online scams during the holidays, and 3 in 5 Americans have expressed concern regarding AI-generated scams.
AI fuels 900% rise In holiday scams. Here’s how travelers can protect themselves [The Eastern Progress Media Network]
The holiday season has witnessed a staggering 900% increase in AI-driven travel scams, such as fake booking websites, phishing scams, and deepfake customer service representatives. Learn about precautions you can take to reduce the risk of falling victim to AI-enhanced fraud.
👉🏼 Spotify Playlist: The Fraud Buster’s Playlist [Arya AI]
👉🏼 Article: 11 creative ways I use AI that are honestly useful [Pranav Mehta]
👉🏼 Video: Beware of these cyber scams this holiday season [News Nation]
👉🏼 Video: What is gift card draining? How to prevent getting scammed [Today]
👉🏼 Article: How to get data ready for AI development [Tech Target]
👉🏼 Podcast: Predictions on how AI agents will actually be used [The AI Daily Brief]
👉🏼 Article: Synthetic Identity Fraud- What is it and How to Protect Against It [Arya AI]
👉🏼 Podcast: Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends in 2025 [Gartner ThinkCast]
We hope you enjoyed reading this edition of Fin AI Briefings. Let us know in the comments if you did! Click on the Subscribe button for the new issue.