The festive season in India, which is typically a time of joy and irresistible deals, is increasingly becoming a playground for cybercriminals. McAfee’s Global Festive Shopping Survey 2024 has however shed light on a worrying trend.
Diwali 2024 saw a significant uptick in online scams, as revealed by McAfee’s global festive shopping survey. The study highlights the increasingly dangerous landscape for shoppers, with scammers exploiting the holiday season to target unsuspecting consumers with fake offers and phishing schemes.
Cybercriminals are employing advanced tools, from deepfake technology to phishing attacks, to catch unsuspecting shoppers off guard.
Festive shopping trends and scams
As the festive season approached, more Indians than ever turned to online shopping, with 66 percent reporting they planned to shop more this year compared to last. Online platforms were popular for their convenience and attractive discounts, but these benefits came at a risk. McAfee’s Labs team observed a rise in cybercriminal activity, particularly through phishing attacks and malicious URLs.
An analysis of over 800 festive-themed unsolicited emails found a marked increase in scam emails, especially on Fridays and Saturdays, suggesting a weekly pattern in scam activity. This shows that cybercriminals are attuned to when shoppers are most active, making the threat constant throughout the holiday period.
The Labs team also safeguarded consumers against 24,000 malicious URLs, with attacks peaking before major festivals like Durga Ashtami and Diwali. These websites often posed as trusted retailers like Amazon and Flipkart, advertising unbelievable discounts of up to 99 percent, a telltale sign of a scam.
The AI threat and social media influence
McAfee’s Festive Shopping Survey painted a worrying picture of the current online shopping climate. A staggering 74 percent of Indians believe cybercriminals are more active during the festive season, making the period particularly risky and stressful. AI-driven scams are at the forefront of this danger, with fraudsters using advanced technologies to make scams more convincing. As scammers harness AI to create fake endorsements and clone legitimate brand messages, shoppers must be more vigilant than ever.
Concerns about deepfakes have surged, with 84 percent of Indians expressing more worry compared to last year. Scam messages are widespread, with 39 percent encountering the most fake communications via email, followed by 31 percent through text and 30 percent on social media. The types of scams vary but are all designed to instill panic or urgency: 30 percent reported messages about purchases they never made, 37 percent received fake missed delivery or delivery problem alerts, 24 percent were targeted with security warnings from well-known e-commerce platforms, and 43 percent faced urgent notifications regarding issues with their credit card or bank account.
Social media has also played a significant role in shaping consumer behaviour, with 47% of Indians or their acquaintances having fallen victim to scams connected to celebrity endorsements. Additionally, 31% admitted they would be more likely to purchase from a new retailer discovered through social media, provided the deal appeared enticing.
McAfee’s safety recommendations
To combat these evolving threats, McAfee urges consumers to adopt a cautious approach. Shoppers should avoid clicking on links in unsolicited emails and instead visit company websites directly. They can also leverage AI tools like the McAfee Text Scam Detector for better protection against phishing and malicious links.
Detecting deep fakes requires vigilance. Shoppers should watch for unnatural blinking, mismatched audio, and distorted facial features, which are common giveaways of deepfake content. Investing in comprehensive protection, like McAfee+, which offers identity, privacy, and device security, is also recommended to stay safe during this scam-heavy season.
