Spam: Always in Season

Sure the holidays come only once a year, but scammers work all year long. Tooting the same old tricks, they try to add a bit of variety to each upcoming holiday. That recommended Christmas gift is actually just a rip-off of an idea from a Halloween get-up.
You're not safe from these sneaky holiday scammers even if you think you know better than to click on their emails or links. The consequences are getting continually worse if you accidentally access a website or attached file; your device can get infected so badly that it can result in data loss, impersonations, or money and critical information stolen. To avoid these scams, BitDefender created an infographic that explains typical seasonal scammer tricks.
Merry Scary ChristmasMost scammers begin their campaign in the cold month of December and try to catch unsuspecting victims looking for gifts or vacations for the winter holidays. These malicious tricks cover a range of areas: scammers send out offers of loans for credit card extensions, fake personalized letters from Santa Claus, and diet and body cleansing pills.
Lured by knock-off Rolex watches, luxury cars, and hotel reservations, users are encouraged to take phony surveys or are led to phishing forms. Sometimes victims are led directly to malware like exploit kits, downloaders, and droppers.
Lovebirds are the targets after the winter rush; as Valentine's Day approaches, about seven percent of all spam messages attempt to coax people to purchase sweets for their special someone. Not surprisingly crooks offer fake chocolate and flower arrangements, replica watches, jewelry, or perfumes.
In April, scammers "arrange" a 50 percent-off sale for Easter flowers and goodies. To offset those giant chocolate bunnies, they also offer miracle weight loss plants as well as nerve calming remedies. With Mother's Day and Memorial Day in May, users are bombarded with offers of restaurant discounts, travel gift cards, sports footwear, spa and gym vouchers, and strangely enough, toilet paper.

Summer ScamsScammers know May and June are the peak time to plan trips. They intersperse fake travel deals with real ones to trick users into giving their credit card information on malicious websites. Most phony flight confirmations are booked during this time when over a hundred thousand holiday-themed spam messages are sent out. Bogus newsletters include offers that promote early-booking bargains, cruise packages, and travel insurance.
Before the festive July 4 celebrations, spammers try to persuade victims to buy yard barbeque kits for Father's Day. Scammers then celebrate Independence Day by spreading malware distribution campaigns linked to political messages and special fireworks sales.

Falling for MalwareIn late summer and early autumn crooks follow up on their vacation scams by posing as hotel managers and sending messages telling summer clients to check their money transactions or travel receipts. Users who click on the links or open the attachments that claim their credit card service is blocked fall victim to phishing, malware, and fraud.
Labor Day scams and alarming 9/11-related malware-infected sites that feature terms like "bin Laden alive," or "towers going down" are found in September. Charity scams or memorabilia offers for collectors exploit the anniversary of the latter event as well.
October and November have their fair share of scam plans too. Scammers advertise pirated software, dairy sweets, online dating tips, and ink around Halloween time. And of course, November is not only the month to chow down on turkey but also to buy big on Black Friday. Taking advantage of already-advertised low prices, crooks try to pose the best offer for unsuspecting customers: three-dollar car insurance, cheap designer clothing or smartphones, and casino coupons.
Stay AlertIt's not enough to simply be aware of all these scams. One accidental click on a link or banner can leads to malware infection with serious repercussions. Don't open suspicious-looking emails and try to avoid giving out personal data like credit card information. Consider purchasing antivirus software, like our Editors' Choice BitDefender Antivirus Plus (2014), to get rid of existing threats and prevent future attacks. Always beware of spam because it can hit anytime of year.
Click on the image below to view the full infographic.