The festive season has arrived, leading to increased activity on e-commerce platforms. Shoppers are eager to take advantage of deals from events like Amazon’s Great Indian Festival Sale and Flipkart’s Big Billion Days, with discounts available on gadgets, appliances, and items from long-held wishlists. High-demand products such as Apple’s iPhone 17 series and Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 7 are particularly attracting large crowds. However, as consumers seek bargains, cybercriminals are also on high alert, looking for opportunities to exploit the situation. Experts caution that festive sales not only lead to increased shopping but also a higher risk of online scams. The combination of urgency and high transaction volumes creates an ideal environment for fraudsters to target unsuspecting shoppers.
Scammers frequently employ tactics that create a sense of urgency or impersonate legitimate services, making it easy for even vigilant buyers to fall victim. One prevalent scam is the OTP scam, where criminals impersonate delivery agents or customer service representatives, claiming there are issues with orders or payments. They deceive shoppers into providing one-time passwords (OTPs), granting them access to online shopping accounts or bank details. Once they gain entry, these scammers can misuse stored card information to steal funds. Another common tactic is the fake delivery call scam. In this scenario, fraudsters contact buyers, asserting that an order could not be delivered and requesting personal information or a small fee to reschedule the delivery.
Eager shoppers anticipating festive deliveries may unwittingly disclose sensitive information. Phishing scams are also widespread during sales, where fraudsters send deceptive emails, SMS messages, or WhatsApp communications that closely resemble official e-commerce messages. These often contain harmful links to fake websites designed to capture login credentials or payment information. Additionally, social media is rife with fraud through misleading advertisements. Shoppers browsing posts may encounter attractive discounts on popular items, and once payments are made, these fraudulent sellers often vanish, leaving buyers unable to retrieve their funds. It is crucial for shoppers to recognize red flags. Requests for OTPs, passwords, or card PINs should raise immediate suspicion, as legitimate e-commerce companies and banks will never ask for such information.
Links with spelling errors, unfamiliar domains, or odd redirects should also be approached with caution. Furthermore, shoppers should be wary of downloading third-party apps that claim to assist with tracking deliveries or unlocking discounts, as these can often be vehicles for malware. To shop securely this festive season, follow these tips: never disclose OTPs, PINs, or passwords, even to seemingly trustworthy callers; shop only from official websites, ensuring URLs start with ‘https://’ and are from recognized domains; utilize strong, unique passwords for each shopping site and enable two-factor authentication; and avoid making transactions on public Wi-Fi, opting instead for secure home internet or mobile data.
As the festive shopping rush continues, maintaining vigilance is essential to enjoy discounts without falling victim to scams. While fraudsters are active, a little caution can help ensure your shopping experience is safe and enjoyable.