Sun’s out, scams out. As we roll into the silly season office Christmas parties, family trips, and a well-earned break, but it’s also prime time for cyber threats to spike. Attackers know you’re distracted, relaxed, and possibly a few cold beverages deep. Here are Bastion’s top 5 holiday tips to keep you safe and relaxed over the well-earned break.
1. Office Christmas Parties = Prime Phishing Season
Between Secret Santa invites, venue changes, bar tabs, and calendar chaos, inboxes become a playground for fake party updates. Common signs:
- “Urgent change to party location, click here”
- “Upload your details to confirm attendance”
- Fake invoices for catering or drink packages.
Quick rule: If it looks rushed, unexpected, or guilt-trip-y… don’t click it.
2. Don’t Broadcast Your Holiday Plans
Posting “Heading to Fiji for three weeks!” might feel harmless… until someone decides to treat your home like an AirBnB. Cybercriminals often pair social-media oversharing with open-source intel to time attacks or physical break-ins.
Tip: Post the holiday pics after you get home. Present your travel like a highlight reel, not a live broadcast.
3. Online Marketplace Scams Are Everywhere
Summer = big buying and selling season. New phones, beach gear, furniture, camping equipment… and a flood of marketplace scams. Watch for:
- Buyers who overpay then ask for a refund.
- Sellers who demand deposits before meeting.
- Profiles created last week with zero history.
- Courier services you’ve never heard of.
Rule of thumb: If it feels too good to be true, it’s about to take your money and block you.
4. Fake Delivery Notices & Holiday Promo Scams
Scammers weaponise two things in December:
- Your urge to shop.
- Your urge for things to arrive yesterday.
Expect bogus:
- “Your parcel is delayed, pay $2 to release it” Messages
- Final Christmas sale! Links
- Exclusive holiday giveaway DMs
Approach: If the link comes out of nowhere… let it stay there.
5. Gift Card & Charity Scams
Bad actors love tugging at holiday emotions. They’ll impersonate:
- Fake charities using stolen logos.
- Community groups running bogus fundraising drives.
- Bosses asking you to “quickly buy gift cards”
If money is involved, verify independently and never through the message you received.
Bottom line is summer should be for sunshine, BBQs, and pretending not to check your work email… not getting phished, scammed, or socially engineered. Slow down, double-check, and treat anything unexpected online with suspicion. A minute of caution now saves a month of cleanup later.