Luxury brands exploited by cybercriminals during Black Friday

IT security firm Check Point Software Technologies is warning of an increased risk of phishing attacks during Black Friday. An emerging trend is that fraudsters are impersonating well-known delivery companies and exclusive brands such as Louis Vuitton, Ray Ban and Rolex. The attacks are mainly carried out via email, and it is important for consumers to be extra vigilant when shopping online during Black Friday and the Christmas shopping season.

The biggest shopping periods, Black Friday and Christmas shopping, are approaching, and with this the risk of fraud also increases.

This year, the fraud is particularly targeting delivery companies, and in October 2023, Check Point Software observed a 13 percent increase in malicious files linked to orders and deliveries compared to the same period last year.

Over the past month, we have noted a significant increase in phishing attacks related to deliveries and online shopping. It is therefore of great importance that consumers are extra vigilant now as we approach the most popular online shopping period of the year, says Mats Ekdahl, security expert at Check Point Software. With increased use of AI By cybercriminals, it is becoming more difficult to visually identify phishing emails, which emphasizes the need to ensure that both businesses and individuals have updated systems to protect themselves.

Here are three tips for detecting fraud attempts:

1. Ignore the display name – The display name on phishing emails is often distorted to hide the real sender. Instead, check the sender’s email address to verify that it comes from a trusted source.
2. Verify the sender's domain – scammers often use a misbranded domain that resembles the organization they are trying to impersonate. Look out for misspellings or variations and compare to the company's official website. Differences indicate a potential scam.
3. Check links before you click – Phishing attacks aim to trick the victim into clicking on malicious links. By examining the links, you can ensure that they lead to where they claim to go. Hover over the link without clicking to preview the destination. A safe bet is to avoid clicking on email links and instead visit the company’s website directly from the browser.

For more information, read Check Point Software's blog: https://blog.checkpoint.com/research/november-shopping-schemes-check-point-research-unveiling-cybercriminal-tactics-as-luxury-brands-become-pawns-in-email-scams/