How To Avoid Falling For Holiday Phishing Scams in 2025

Every holiday season, scammers treat your inbox like a shopping list.

The FBI has warned that online shoppers risk losing tens of millions of dollars to holiday scams in a single season, much of it through phishing emails and fake shopping sites. (bleepingcomputer.com)

At the same time, CISA has called the holiday period a prime time for criminals to use too-good-to-be-true deals, fake charities, and malicious links to steal money and identities. (cisa.gov)

The goal of most of these scams is simple: get you to click fast, sign in, or hand over payment details before you think.

In this guide, you will learn how holiday phishing scams actually work in 2025, the most common tricks to expect, and the habits that will keep your accounts safe all year.

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Table of contents

• Why holiday phishing is worse in 2025
• The most common holiday phishing traps
  • 1. Fake order and shipping messages
  • 2. Gift card and coupon scams
  • 3. Fake charities and donation drives
  • 4. Travel and accommodation deals
  • 5. Work themed holiday scams
• Account security moves that blunt holiday scams
• A 3 step checklist before you click
• What to do if you already clicked
• How to talk about holiday phishing with family
• Key takeaways for 2025

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Why holiday phishing is worse in 2025

During the holiday shopping season, people rush, multitask, and spend more money online. That makes it the perfect time for criminals.

CISA notes that during the holidays, scammers lean on fake discounts, malicious links, and fraudulent sites that look like real retailers in order to steal money and identities. (cisa.gov)

BleepingComputer has repeatedly reported government warnings about holiday themed phishing campaigns that deliver banking trojans or other malware through fake order emails and seasonal lures. (bleepingcomputer.com)

On top of that, modern criminals use:

• Lookalike domains that differ from real brands by a single character
• Phishing pages that copy login screens perfectly
• Malware that hides inside attachments or links themed around gift cards, shipping notices, or party invites (bleepingcomputer.com)

Your best defense is to assume that any unexpected holiday message asking you to click, sign in, or pay is suspicious until proven safe.

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The most common holiday phishing traps

1. Fake order and shipping messages

Scam pattern:

• Subject lines like "Order Confirmation," "Your package is on hold," or "Delivery failed"
• Logos for major retailers or carriers
• A big button to "Track package" or "Verify address"

Government guidance stresses that scammers often send phishing messages that look like legitimate retailer updates, then push you to click a link or share personal details. (cisa.gov)

Red flags

• You do not remember placing that order
• The sender email is from a random domain, not the store or carrier
• The tracking link goes to an unrelated website when you preview it

How to handle it safely

1. Do not click the email link.
2. Open a new browser tab.
3. Go directly to the retailer or delivery company site by typing the address yourself.
4. Check your real order history and tracking numbers there.

If the message is real, you will see the same alert in your actual account.

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2. Gift card and coupon scams

Gift cards are one of the biggest holiday lures. Attackers love them because they are hard to trace.

Security researchers have documented campaigns where fake "Amazon gift card" emails delivered malware when people opened the attached file or clicked the redeem button. (bleepingcomputer.com)

More recently, the FBI warned about organized groups and threat actors targeting retailers and their gift card systems during the holiday period. (bleepingcomputer.com)

Common tricks

• "You received a $100 gift card" with an attached file
• Social media posts offering free vouchers if you click a link
• Fake support emails asking you to "verify your gift card balance"

Red flags

• You have to download a file to redeem the card
• The link goes to a site that is not the official retailer
• The offer came out of nowhere, with no one you know behind it

Safe practice

• Assume any surprise gift card email is fake until confirmed directly with the sender
• Never open attachments just to "redeem" a card
• Manually check your gift card balance on the retailer's real site

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3. Fake charities and donation drives

Holiday giving is a big target. CISA warns that criminals use fake charities and donation requests, especially around major events, to trick people into sharing payment details or account information. (cisa.gov)

Red flags

• Pressure to donate immediately through a link in email or text
• Requests for donations only in gift cards or cryptocurrency
• Slight misspellings of famous charity names

How to donate safely

• Ignore links in messages and go directly to the charity website by typing the address
• Look the charity up on trusted resources or official registries before donating
• Use a credit card, not a debit card or wire transfer, since credit cards have stronger protections

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4. Travel and accommodation deals

Travel scams spike during peak holiday periods. Phishing emails advertise cheap flights, last minute resort deals, or "exclusive" holiday packages.

Fraud reports highlight that scammers use untrusted websites and ads with unrealistic discounts, then capture your login credentials or payment info once you click through. (bleepingcomputer.com)

Red flags

• Prices that are much lower than the official airline or hotel site
• You are asked to log in with your email provider or bank account to "verify identity"
• Poor grammar and non standard payment methods

Safe practice

• Compare deals against the official airline or hotel site
• Book through known travel portals or directly with providers
• Never send passport scans, full credit card details, or IDs by email

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5. Work themed holiday scams

Holiday phishing does not only hit personal email. CISA notes that employees should be trained to spot strange or unexpected requests that use urgent language or ask for quick action. (cisa.gov)

Common work themed lures:

• "HR: Update your direct deposit for your holiday bonus"
• "IT: Your mailbox is over quota, sign in now or lose access"
• "Finance: Approve this urgent year end payment"

Red flags

• The request is unusual for that person or team
• The sender address does not match your company domain
• Links go to generic login pages that ask for your password

If you get one of these, contact the supposed sender through a separate channel, like your official chat system or by phone, before taking any action.

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Account security moves that blunt holiday scams

Even if a phishing email looks convincing, strong account security can limit the damage.

CISA and other agencies recommend combining technical protections with training to reduce the risk from phishing attacks. (cisa.gov)

Focus on these steps:

Turn on multi factor authentication (MFA) everywhere

• Use MFA on email, bank, shopping, and social accounts
• Prefer app based codes or hardware keys over SMS when possible
• Treat any unexpected MFA prompt as a warning that someone may have your password

If criminals gain your password through a phishing page, MFA often stops them from logging in.

Use strong, unique passwords with a manager

• A password manager can create long, random passwords and fill them in for you
• If a holiday phishing site tricks you into entering a password, at least it will not match other accounts
• Do not reuse the same password across email, shopping, and banking

Lock down your devices before shopping

CISA advises updating software and using security tools before you start making online purchases. (cisa.gov)

• Turn on automatic updates for your operating system and browser
• Use reputable antivirus or endpoint protection
• Avoid shopping or banking on shared or public computers

Watch financial and account alerts

• Turn on text or email alerts for new logins and transactions
• Check your bank and card statements more often during the holidays
• Report unfamiliar charges or sign in locations right away

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A 3 step checklist before you click

You do not need to memorize every scam. You need a simple habit you use every time.

Security training guidance suggests that employees and individuals should pause, look for basic phishing signs, and verify requests through a trusted channel. (cisa.gov)

Use this three step checklist for every holiday email or text:

1. STOP

   • Take a breath. Do not click right away, no matter how urgent it sounds.

2. INSPECT

   • Check the sender address carefully
   • Hover or long press on links to preview the destination
   • Look for generic greetings, spelling mistakes, or strange requests

3. VERIFY

   • Contact the company or person through their official site or known phone number
   • Log in by typing the site address yourself, not by clicking the message

If anything feels off, delete the message. A real company will contact you again through official channels.

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What to do if you already clicked

Even careful people slip up, especially during a busy holiday season.

BleepingComputer and government guidance recommend quick action if you suspect you were hit by a phishing or holiday themed malware campaign. (bleepingcomputer.com)

If you clicked a link and entered a password

1. Change that password right away on the real site.
2. If you reused it elsewhere, change it on those accounts too.
3. Turn on MFA if it is available and you have not enabled it yet.

If you opened an attachment

1. Disconnect the device from the internet if you can.
2. Run a full antivirus or anti malware scan.
3. Do not log into important accounts from that device until it is clean.

If you sent money or card details

1. Contact your bank or card issuer immediately.
2. Ask them to block or replace the card and monitor for fraud.
3. Consider placing a fraud alert or credit freeze with major bureaus if identity theft is likely.

You can also report the incident to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and to the Federal Trade Commission, which helps track scams and support victims. (bleepingcomputer.com)

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How to talk about holiday phishing with family

Phishing defense is a team sport. Many successful scams hit the least technical person in the group.

Some practical tips:

• Share simple rules, not deep technical details
• Offer to help older relatives check suspicious messages
• Set up MFA and password managers for family members ahead of the holidays
• Remind teens not to trust social media giveaways that ask for logins or payment info

CISA emphasizes that a trained and aware group is much less likely to fall for phishing, even when attackers use realistic lures. (cisa.gov)

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Key takeaways for 2025

Holiday phishing scams in 2025 are polished and targeted, but they still rely on the same weakness: rushing you.

If you remember only a few things, make them these:

• Treat every surprise holiday email or text that asks you to click, sign in, or pay as suspicious
• Go to sites directly instead of using embedded links
• Turn on MFA and use strong, unique passwords to blunt the impact of any mistake
• Act fast if you think you were tricked, and involve your bank and official reporting channels

Slow down before you click, especially when the message mentions orders, deliveries, gift cards, or donations. That short pause can protect your accounts, your money, and your holidays.