Every year, right around the time people start thinking
about gifts and time off, someone in a small business gets an email that seems
harmless. It's from the CEO, or maybe a manager, asking for a quick favor.
"Hey, I'm about to head into a meeting — could you grab a few gift cards for
clients? I'll reimburse you this afternoon."
It feels like a small, routine task. The message sounds just
like them. And because it's the holidays and everyone's trying to be helpful,
someone clicks "Reply," runs the errand, and sends over the codes. A few hours
later, the real CEO wonders what they're talking about. The money's long gone.
That's how it happens — every year, every season, in
businesses of every size.
Scammers know that between Thanksgiving and New Year's,
attention is divided. People are covering for each other, juggling deadlines,
clearing out their inboxes. Vendors, clients, and even family emails all blur
together. The fraudsters don't need to be clever — they just need to be
patient.
The truth is that most holiday scams aren't technical at
all. They rely on emotion — on urgency, trust, or the simple desire to be
helpful. They work not because people are careless, but because they're kind.
Here are the scams that come back every single holiday
season, and how to keep them from finding their way into your business.
1. The Gift Card Scam
It almost always starts with a message from "the boss."
They're traveling, they're in a meeting, and they need someone to handle a
small errand — buy a few gift cards for employees or clients. The tone feels
right. The signature looks right. The email address is just one letter off.
It's believable because it plays on generosity and
hierarchy: you want to help, and you don't want to disappoint. But the moment
those codes are sent, they're gone.
How to prevent it: Always confirm any financial
request — especially one involving gift cards, wire transfers, or credentials —
through another channel. A two-minute phone call beats a thousand-dollar
mistake. And make it policy that no one approves payments or purchases based on
email alone.
2. The Invoice Fraud Scam
This one's quieter, and often more successful. A fake
invoice appears in an inbox — correct logo, correct format, believable amount.
The name of a real vendor, the kind you've used for years. It slips through
because it looks ordinary.
Attackers know how to mimic real correspondence. They pull
vendor names from your website or LinkedIn and build convincing lookalike
domains. The invoice makes its way to accounts payable, and before anyone
thinks to question it, the money's gone.
How to prevent it: Require dual approval for all
payments and any changes to vendor details. Encourage staff to verify requests
by phone using known contact numbers. A culture that values "trust but verify"
will spot inconsistencies faster than any software filter.
3. The QR Code Scam
QR codes are everywhere now — menus, flyers, invoices,
packages. They're convenient, which is why scammers love them. During the
holidays, fake shipping or "order confirmation" messages with malicious QR
codes flood inboxes. Scan one, and you might end up on a site that steals your
credentials or installs malware.
It's effective because it feels modern and harmless. And
unlike a regular link, you can't see where it leads.
How to prevent it: Educate staff never to scan QR
codes from unsolicited messages or printed materials. Use mobile device
management tools to restrict risky website access. And remember: no legitimate
delivery company will require a QR scan to verify a shipment.
4. The Payroll or HR Scam
This one hits right before payroll deadlines. Employees
receive a message that looks like it's from HR asking them to "verify" their
bank details or "confirm" a new direct deposit form. The link goes to a page
that looks familiar — same logo, same layout — but once credentials are
entered, the attacker changes the routing information on the real payroll
account.
By the time the next paycheck runs, the funds are gone.
How to prevent it: Enable multi-factor authentication
on all HR and payroll systems. Train employees that HR will never ask for
personal information or login credentials by email. Encourage them to report
any suspicious message immediately, even if it turns out to be legitimate.
5. The Shipping and Delivery Scam
Every December, inboxes fill with "Your package couldn't be
delivered" messages. They look like they come from FedEx, UPS, or USPS,
complete with logos and tracking numbers. The link inside leads to a
credential-stealing site or malware download.
These scams often target office managers or reception desks
— the people most likely to be dealing with deliveries. In the rush of the
season, even a slightly off domain name can be easy to miss.
How to prevent it: Use official carrier websites or
apps to track packages. Never click delivery links from unsolicited emails or
texts. For offices that handle frequent shipments, designate one trained point
of contact to verify all delivery messages.
6. The "Urgent Account Suspension" Scam
A familiar one: "Your Microsoft 365 account will be
suspended unless you verify your credentials." Or "Your QuickBooks subscription
has expired — click here to renew." These scams spike in December, when people
are juggling year-end tasks and renewal reminders feel normal.
They work because they combine two triggers: urgency and
authority. Few people want to risk losing access to critical accounts during
the busiest month of the year.
How to prevent it: Train employees to pause before
responding to urgent messages about account access. No legitimate service
provider will suspend an account without prior notice. Always type the known
website address into your browser rather than following email links.
The interesting thing about these scams is how little they
change from year to year. Technology evolves, but people don't. The same
psychology that makes a team responsive and cooperative — helpfulness, trust,
urgency — also makes it vulnerable.
What makes the holiday season particularly dangerous isn't
the volume of attacks, it's the environment. Everyone's busy. Everyone's tired.
The best employees are the most likely to fall for these scams because they're
the ones always willing to help.
The solution isn't paranoia — it's process. Strong policies
and habits protect people from themselves. When a business has clear rules
about how payments are verified, how passwords are managed, and how suspicious
messages are reported, scams lose their power.
Technology helps — spam filters, MFA, monitoring tools — but
it's culture that closes the gap. A team that knows how to slow down when
something feels off will always outperform a team that trusts technology to
catch every threat.
Good cybersecurity isn't about fear. It's about calm. It's
knowing that even during the busiest weeks of the year, your people understand
the basics of verification, your systems back them up, and your policies make
it easy to do the right thing.
So before the holidays hit full swing, take an hour to
review your internal processes. Remind staff what "normal" looks like and how
to verify anything that doesn't fit. Reinforce that it's better to ask twice
than to click once.
Because scammers aren't going away — they're just waiting
for someone to get distracted.
The difference between becoming their next success story and
staying safe isn't luck. It's planning.
Download the 2026 IT Planning Guide to help your
business close the year strong and start the next one smarter.
