Black Friday Shoppers - watch out for Shipping Scams

Check Point Research warns Black Friday shoppers to watch out for phishing scams, as it sees sharp increases in fake shopping and delivery websites. Check Point Research estimates that one out of every six malicious emails in November were related to shipping. To spread awareness, Check Point Research shares two examples of brand phishing it recently caught: Louis Vuitton and DHL.

The Check Point Research report says that:

# 17% of all malicious files distributed by email in November were related to shipping.

# 4% of all new shopping related websites were malicious since start of November

# Check Point Research shares six safety tips for shoppers this year, including buying from authentic sources and thinking twice on ‘too good to be true offers’

Check Point Research sees sharp increases in fake shopping and delivery websites in the run-up to Black Friday.

When we see the Numbers:

About 17%, or roughly 1 out of 6 Malicious Files Delivered by Email Trace to Shipping Scams.

4% of all new shopping related websites were found to be malicious since the start of the month.

There are two live cases related to malicious activity caught in recently.

1. Louis Vuitton Impersonation

Check Point Research caught a malicious email impersonating the fashion-brand Louis Vuitton, containing the subject line “Black Friday Sale. Starts at $100. You’ll Fall In Love With Prices.” Once clicked, the site led to a malicious destination. Over the past month we have seen an increasing number of incidents involving these domains, reaching close to 15,000 in the previous week.

2. DHL Impersonation

Check Point Research found a campaign of emails impersonating the delivery company DHL. Emails were sent from a webmail address “support@consultingmanagementprofessionals[.]com” and spoofed to appear as if they had been sent from “SHIPMENT TRACKING”.

The advisory is: Shoppers to be on high-alert to online scams this Black Friday. Fraudsters will be looking for bargain hunters in one of the biggest shopping events of the year. We're already seeing hackers impersonate luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and shipping giants like DHL.

Cybercriminals love to play off of the emotions of shoppers. When you’re excited about a great deal or fear missing out, you may take unnecessary risks like shopping at an unfamiliar site or providing sensitive information. Cybercriminals know this and actively try to take advantage of this shopping psychology.

To stay protected, there are a few basic measures you can take, such as always shopping with official retailers, not being enticed by deals that are ‘too good to be true’, and looking out for suspicious payment methods.

Dr. Deepak Kumar Sahu, President & CEO, VARINDIA