Cyber criminals are taking advantage of the increase in online holiday shopping due to the pandemic. They know people are buying gifts online and sending the packages to the recipients. Often, the recipients do not know they are receiving a gift as it is intended to be a surprise. 

Cyber criminals have stepped up their attempts to infiltrate personal devices and company systems through phishing emails and texts that spoof well-known carriers, such as UPS and FedEx. The email or text looks like a real communication from UPS or FedEx as it includes the company logo and tells the recipient that a package is on its way, but that the user needs to either update their delivery preferences or can check the delivery status by “clicking here.” It’s that “clicking here” instruction that dupes users into clicking on the link (even when they know they shouldn’t), which then infects their device or the system with malware or ransomware. 

We all love to get presents and packages. If you are sending a package or gift to someone, let them know that it is on the way. If you receive a message from a carrier that you weren’t expecting, be cautious and wicked paranoid about clicking on any links or attachments, just as you should with any other suspicious email or text.

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