the staff of the Ridgewood blog and the DHS

Ridgewood NJ, during the 2022 holiday season, consumers spent approximately $936.3 billion, an increase of over five percent from the previous year. Online and other non-store shopping increased 9.5 percent, totaling $261.6 billion. On Cyber Monday alone, consumers spent a record $11.3 billion. This year, total sales are expected to moderately increase about three percent given the rising costs of goods and services due to inflation and other factors, and consumers may choose to spread out their holiday shopping over a longer period of time – in 2022, 49 percent of consumers started their holiday shopping before November. While predictions for total sales are debated, one thing is certain – cybercriminals will continue their efforts to target online shoppers and marketplaces for financial gain. As consumers may be increasingly motivated to find deals, specials, and discounts when purchasing gifts this year in particular, it is vital to maintain awareness of the many cyber threats posed by these individuals and groups. Threat actors may target victims through a variety of methods, including compromised or spoofed websites, phishing campaigns, social media ads and messages, or unsecured Wi-Fi networks. Reviewing the common attack vectors detailed in this article, along with tips and best practices, will help to combat the threats posed by cybercriminals this holiday season.