5 Phishing Tactics Businesses Should Watch for This Season
The holiday season brings a lot of things to look forward to: celebrations, year-end milestones, time with family, and a well-earned break from the daily routine.
Unfortunately, it also brings one of the busiest seasons of the year for cybercriminals.
As online shopping increases, packages arrive daily, invoices are processed before year-end, and inboxes fill with promotions and notifications, phishing attempts become much harder to spot. Many of the messages look legitimate because they’re designed to blend into the normal holiday activity happening inside your business.
Today’s phishing attacks aren’t always riddled with spelling mistakes and obvious red flags. Cybercriminals are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to trick employees into clicking links, opening attachments, or sharing sensitive information.
Here are five holiday phishing scams every organization should have on its radar.
1. Fake Package Delivery Notifications
Few things are more common during the holidays than package tracking emails.
Employees may receive messages claiming to be from major shipping providers, stating that a delivery is delayed, a package cannot be delivered, or additional information is required.
The email often includes a link encouraging the recipient to verify delivery information, update a shipping address, pay a small fee, or track a package.
The link typically directs users to a fraudulent website designed to collect passwords, payment information, or other sensitive data.
What to Watch For
Unexpected delivery notifications, generic greetings, slight misspellings in sender addresses, or urgent requests to click a link immediately should all raise suspicion.
When in doubt, visit the shipping company’s website directly instead of clicking links contained in an email.
2. Gift Card Requests from “Leadership”
This scam continues to be remarkably effective.
An employee receives an email or text message appearing to come from an executive, manager, or business owner asking for help purchasing gift cards for employees, clients, or charitable initiatives.
The message usually emphasizes urgency and discretion.
Examples include:
“Can you help me with a quick task?”
“I’m in a meeting and need gift cards immediately.”
“Please purchase these today and send me the codes.”
Once the gift card numbers are shared, the funds are typically unrecoverable.
What to Watch For
Requests for gift cards, pressure to act immediately, unusual communication methods, or requests that bypass normal purchasing procedures should always be verified.
A simple verification phone call can stop these scams instantly.
3. Fraudulent Vendor Invoices
Many organizations are closing out budgets and paying invoices before the end of the year.
Cybercriminals know this.
Attackers may impersonate vendors, suppliers, contractors, or service providers and send invoices that appear legitimate. Some scams even reference real projects or business relationships.
The goal is simple: convince someone to pay the wrong account.
What to Watch For
Changes to payment instructions, new banking information, last-minute invoice updates, or requests to send payments to unfamiliar accounts should be treated carefully.
Any payment change should be verified using a trusted phone number or known contact before funds are transferred.
4. Holiday Charity and Donation Scams
The holiday season inspires generosity, which unfortunately creates opportunities for fraud.
Employees may receive emails promoting charitable causes, disaster relief efforts, or community initiatives.
While many organizations are legitimate, cybercriminals frequently create fake campaigns designed to collect donations or harvest personal information.
What to Watch For
High-pressure donation requests, unfamiliar organizations, emotional appeals requiring immediate action, and donation links that redirect to unknown websites are all warning signs.
Before donating, take time to independently verify the organization through trusted sources.
5. AI-Generated Phishing Emails
One of the biggest changes in cybersecurity over the last few years is the rise of AI-assisted phishing.
Traditionally, phishing emails often contained awkward grammar, obvious spelling errors, or unusual wording.
That’s no longer a reliable warning sign.
Today, attackers can use AI tools to create polished messages that sound professional, convincing, and personalized. Some phishing campaigns even mimic writing styles, business terminology, and internal communication patterns.
As these attacks become more sophisticated, employees must rely less on how an email looks and more on what it’s asking them to do.
Employees Should Be Skeptical Of:
Unexpected login requests, financial transactions, password reset emails, file-sharing invitations, and requests for sensitive information.
Even a well-written email should be verified if the request appears unusual.
Technology Helps. People Make the Difference.
Cybersecurity tools play an important role in defending against phishing attacks.
Email filtering, endpoint protection, multi-factor authentication, and security monitoring all help reduce risk.
However, many successful attacks still involve a human decision somewhere along the way.
That’s why employee awareness remains one of the most effective cybersecurity defenses available.
When employees understand current threats and know what warning signs to look for, they’re more likely to pause, verify, and avoid becoming the next victim.
Protect Your Business This Holiday Season
The holiday season should be focused on serving customers, supporting employees, and enjoying time with family and friends, not dealing with a preventable cybersecurity incident.
By educating employees, reviewing security procedures, and remaining vigilant against seasonal scams, organizations can significantly reduce their risk during one of the busiest times of the year.
At LoyalITy, we help organizations strengthen cybersecurity through employee security awareness training, proactive monitoring, multi-factor authentication, backup solutions, and comprehensive cybersecurity services designed to keep businesses protected year-round.
Want to know how prepared your organization is for today’s phishing threats? Contact LoyalITy for a cybersecurity assessment and start the new year with greater confidence.
