Most Popular Christmas Phishing Scams You Need To Be Aware

On the eve of the Christmas and New Year holidays, online scammers can make a lot of money from gullible people.

Christmas scams are fraudulent schemes that exploit increased holiday spending, emotional generosity, and time pressure to trick people into sharing money or personal information. Common types include fake charities, phishing emails, and online shopping scams. Understanding how these scams work and recognizing warning signs can help prevent financial loss and identity theft.

Consumers often fall into the hands of cybercriminals when trying to buy cheap gifts.

Tools like Clario Anti Spy, which includes a Data breach monitor feature, can help you detect if your personal information has been exposed and reduce the risk of fraud before scammers can take advantage of it.

How to check whether your information is compromised:

1. Download Clario Anti Spy.
2. Open the app, and, under Data breach monitor, tap Scan.
3. Enter your email address.
4. When the scan is complete, follow the on-screen guidance to review any data breaches.
5. Repeat the process for any other email addresses.

To help keep you safe, we have prepared a list of the most popular Christmas scams in 2025 so you can avoid any traps set by festive fraudsters.

Why scams increase during the holiday season

Holiday scams increase because people are more likely to shop online, donate to charities, and respond quickly to offers during this period. Cybercriminals exploit emotional triggers such as generosity and urgency, as well as higher transaction volumes, to make fraudulent messages and websites appear more convincing.

Holiday scams become more effective due to several behavioral and environmental factors that influence how people make decisions during this period:

• Increased online shopping activity creates more opportunities for fake stores
• Time pressure reduces careful decision-making
• Emotional appeals (charity, gifts, family) lower skepticism
• Higher volume of emails and deliveries makes scams harder to detect

Most Common Christmas Scams

Christmas scams take many forms, but they typically rely on impersonation, urgency, and financial deception. During the holiday season, cybercriminals use a range of tactics—from fake charities to phishing emails—to exploit increased online activity and generosity. Understanding the most common scam types helps you recognize threats early and avoid costly mistakes.

Most common Christmas scams include:

• Fake charity scams
• Online shopping scams
• Phishing emails
• Gift card scams
• Fake delivery notifications
• Holiday accommodation scams
• Flight booking scams
• Lottery scams
• Christmas e-card scams

Fake charity

The most popular way for cybercriminals to get rich illegally during the holidays is to pretend to be a charity. It often works like this: scammers announce a fundraiser to help people in need. They provide only payment details with no supporting certificates. Altruistic people wanting to help transfer money. But that money does not reach the supposed recipients, just the wallets of the fraudsters.

How to verify a charity before donating:

• Check official registration in trusted databases
• Look for a verifiable website and contact details
• Avoid charities that pressure you to donate immediately
• Confirm transparency about how funds are used

If you’d like to make a donation this Christmas, then look up an organization’s credentials on Charity Navigator first to check if it is real.

Example: A social media post claims to raise funds for children but provides only a payment link without any official documentation or verifiable organization details.

Online shopping scams

Think you have found a perfect Christmas gift at a great price? Think again. Online shopping scams involve fake websites or sellers that mimic legitimate retailers to trick users into paying for goods that are counterfeit or never delivered. These scams often use heavily discounted prices and convincing website designs to create a false sense of legitimacy.

How to check if an online store is legitimate:

• Verify the website uses HTTPS
• Check domain age using lookup tools
• Search for independent customer reviews
• Avoid deals that seem unusually cheap
• Use secure payment methods with buyer protection

So to protect yourself be sure to check if the website you are surfing is reliable and be wary of making an upfront payment for a gift.

Phishing emails

Phishing emails are fraudulent messages that impersonate legitimate companies to trick users into revealing sensitive information such as passwords or payment details. These scams often use urgent language and fake links to redirect victims to malicious websites designed to steal personal and financial data.

Most emails will redirect you to fake websites that look legitimate but have a different URL.

The purpose of any such phishing attack is to obtain as much of your private information as possible. This helps attackers do things like steal money from your bank account or apply for credit cards on your behalf.

Common signs of phishing emails:

• Mismatched or suspicious sender email addresses
• Links that lead to domains different from the official website
• Urgent requests for payment or account verification
• Unexpected attachments or files
• Generic greetings instead of personalized messages

Gift cards scams

Gift card scams involve fraudsters tricking individuals into buying or selling gift cards under false pretenses, often resulting in financial loss. These scams frequently appear on social media or resale platforms, where attackers promise full-value exchanges or urgent purchase requests to manipulate victims.

Stay away from posts on social media with offers to buy a gift card or from people who are supposedly willing to pay the full price of your card. A real buyer will pay you 80% of the cost of the card at most.  

How to avoid gift card scams:

• Avoid selling gift cards to unknown individuals online
• Be cautious of buyers offering full or above-market value
• Use reputable gift card exchange platforms
• Never share gift card codes before receiving verified payment
• Avoid pressure to complete transactions quickly

It is better to use special gift services to make the process more reliable and safe.

Fake delivery

Everyone is happy to receive an unexpected gift. Fraudsters rely on peoples’ emotions and the increase in seasonal parcel deliveries to deceive online consumers. Fake delivery scams involve fraudulent messages claiming a package could not be delivered, prompting users to provide personal or payment information. These scams exploit the increase in holiday shipments and often appear as emails, text messages, or phone calls impersonating courier services.

For example, an official message may appear in your inbox saying there was an attempt to deliver a parcel to you. You call the number and are asked to provide your personal information, such as a credit card number or social security number, to complete the delivery. This could be a hoax set up by a scammer who may now use this information to steal money from your credit card, create credit accounts in your name or commit another form of identity theft.

How to verify delivery messages:

• Check tracking numbers directly on the official courier website
• Avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages
• Do not share financial or personal data via phone or SMS
• Contact the delivery company using official contact details

Holiday accommodation scams

Time for a vacation, huh? If you're relaxing somewhere in your own country or flying abroad during the Christmas season, scammers will use this as an opportunity to access your money or personal information. Holiday accommodation scams involve fraudulent listings or offers that trick travelers into paying for properties that either do not exist or are not actually available. These scams often appear on fake websites or unverified platforms and exploit the high demand for travel during the holiday season.

How to verify holiday accommodation listings:

• Use trusted booking platforms with verified listings
• Avoid direct payments outside official platforms
• Perform reverse image searches on property photos
• Check reviews across multiple independent sources
• Confirm the property address and contact details

Scammers often copy real property images and descriptions to create convincing but fake listings, especially during peak travel periods.

Flight booking scams

One of the most popular scams with holidays at this time of year is the tempting offer of a free airline ticket. Flight booking scams involve fake airline offers or fraudulent booking websites that trick users into paying for tickets that do not exist. These scams often promote unrealistically cheap or even “free” flights and may require users to enter personal or payment information to complete the booking.

The victim of this scam sees a message or post on the "official" website of an airline or travel company. The note claims that anyone can demand two free airline tickets inside your country by clicking on the phishing link included. The only thing you need to do is to log in with your email and password and pay some ridiculous fee for luggage. This is a cunning way for criminals to trick you into handing over your credit card credentials.

Another tactic scammers use is setting up false websites that look genuine and make you think you're buying a real flight ticket. When you arrive at the airport, you might be disappointed to find out your booking was actually false.

How to avoid flight booking scams:

• Book tickets only through official airline websites or trusted agencies
• Double-check the website URL for authenticity
• Avoid clicking on promotional links from emails or social media
• Verify booking confirmations directly with the airline

Lottery scams

Have you ever received a message telling you you’ve been lucky enough to win $500,000? If yes, you totally know what a lottery scam is. In the Christmas forecast the number of so-called “winners” is growing. Lottery scams involve messages claiming that you have won a prize or large sum of money, even though you never entered a competition. These scams aim to trick victims into paying fees or sharing personal information in order to “claim” winnings that do not actually exist.

Common signs of lottery scams:

• You are notified about winnings without entering a lottery
• Requests for upfront fees to release funds
• Messages claiming urgency or limited-time claims
• Use of well-known brand or lottery names to appear legitimate

Of course, there are many legitimate lottery jackpots, tournaments, and sweepstakes during the holiday season, but there are also plenty of scams circulating at this time of year too. These scams often use the names of legitimate lotteries or famous companies, events, or individuals to make them seem more authentic. Usually, you're going to be asked to pay a number of ongoing fees to release your winnings, but you're going to lose all the money you pay and won't get anything in return.

Christmas e-card scams

It is not a surprise at this time of year to send or receive emails containing links to Christmas e-cards. Christmas e-card scams involve emails or messages that contain malicious links or attachments disguised as festive greetings. When opened, these links may install malware or redirect users to harmful websites designed to steal personal information or monitor online activity.

Although these emails mostly come from co-workers, friends, and relatives, they may have been unknowingly forwarded to attachments containing secret malware or links to spam websites. 

Emails can contain animations, images, videos, or links to download malicious software to your computer when opened. Malware can be used to steal confidential personal information stored on your device or to monitor your keystrokes as you enter passwords online.

Here are some tips to avoid fraud risks of Christmas

Avoiding Christmas scams requires a combination of cautious online behavior, secure payment practices, and basic cybersecurity measures. Since holiday scams often rely on urgency and emotional triggers, taking time to verify offers, messages, and websites can significantly reduce the risk of financial loss or identity theft.

Check this list of advice to make sure you are prepared to deal with all the online scams the festive period brings:

• Install and set up an antivirus software
• Use strong passwords
• Do not open messages or suspicious files you do not expect to receive
• Check website addresses

Common warning signs of holiday scams:

• Offers that seem too good to be true
• Requests for immediate payment or action
• Messages from unknown or suspicious senders
• Lack of verifiable business or organization details
• Poor grammar or inconsistent branding in communications

These precautions align with general cybersecurity recommendations from organizations such as the Federal Trade Commission, which regularly warn consumers about seasonal fraud risks.

What to do if you fall victim to a scam

If you become a victim of a scam, acting quickly can help minimize financial damage and prevent further misuse of your personal information. Immediate steps such as contacting your bank and securing your accounts are critical to reducing long-term impact.

What to do immediately:

• Contact your bank or payment provider to block transactions
• Freeze or cancel affected cards
• Change passwords for compromised accounts
• Scan your device for malware
• Report the incident to local authorities or consumer protection agencies

Conclusion

Christmas phishing scams continue to evolve, making them harder to recognize and easier to fall for—especially during busy holiday periods. Staying cautious, verifying messages, and understanding common scam tactics can significantly reduce your risk. Adding an extra layer of protection, such as Clario Anti Spy with its Data Breach Monitor, helps you detect exposed data early and stay one step ahead of potential threats.

Read more:

• 7 Insightful TED Talks on Security and Privacy
• What Is Spear Phishing?
• Signs of phishing emails