💘 Roses are red, violets are blue, cybercriminals are out to scam you too! 💘
Valentine’s Day is all about love, but for hackers, it’s just another opportunity to target unsuspecting businesses and individuals. With a 39% increase in love-themed domains and 1 in 8 being malicious, cybercriminals are using this season of affection to lure victims into romance scams, phishing attacks, and fake website traps.
So, whether you’re sending a sweet email to your customers, buying client gifts, or just looking for a great Valentine’s Day deal, make sure you don’t fall for heartbreaking cybersecurity threats. Let’s dive into the Valentine’s Day scams you need to watch out for and how to protect your business!
Valentine’s Day Scams That Will Break Your Heart (and Your Business)
Social engineering manipulates people into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise security. These attacks bypass technical defenses by exploiting trust, fear, or the desire to help. Tactics include phishing, spear phishing, vishing (voice phishing), baiting, and more, each designed to trick victims into granting access to sensitive systems or data.
1. Love-Themed Phishing Attacks
Cybercriminals disguise phishing emails as Valentine’s Day promotions, romantic messages, or business collaborations. These emails may contain malicious links or attachments designed to steal your login credentials or infect your system with malware. A real world example of this took place with Hallmark. Cybercriminals launched a phishing campaign impersonating Hallmark’s e-card service, sending fake Valentine’s Day e-cards with links to malware-infected sites. Unsuspecting users who clicked on these links found their credentials compromised.
How to spot the scam:
- Be wary of emails with urgent subject lines like 'Exclusive Valentine’s Day Deal – Act Fast!'
- Check for spelling errors, generic greetings, or suspicious sender addresses.
- Hover over links before clicking— a fake 'secure' HTTPS link can still lead to a phishing site.
2. CEO Fraud & Fake Invoice Scams
Love may be priceless, but CEO fraud isn’t! Cybercriminals impersonate executives, sending urgent payment requests to finance teams, claiming it’s for a Valentine’s Day promotion or vendor deal. This was exemplified when a Lithuanian scammer tricked Google and Facebook into transferring over $100 million through a fake invoice scam. He posed as a legitimate vendor, sending fake invoices that appeared completely real, leading both companies to process fraudulent payments.
How to stay protected:
- Always verify unexpected payment requests directly with the sender.
- Implement multi-person approval for all financial transactions.
- Train employees to recognize impersonation attacks before processing payments.
3. Fake E-Commerce Websites
Looking for the perfect client gift? Be careful! Hackers create fake e-commerce stores with irresistible Valentine’s Day discounts, only to steal payment details. In 2021, scammers created fake websites impersonating luxury brands like Tiffany & Co. and Pandora, offering massive Valentine’s Day discounts. Thousands of victims entered their credit card details, only to receive fake or no products.
What to do instead:
- Purchase only from trusted retailers.
- Look for misspellings in website URLs (e.g., 'Valent1neDeals.com' instead of 'ValentineDeals.com').
- Never enter payment details on a site without SSL encryption (look for HTTPS).
4. Vishing – Sweet Talk Scams
Cybercriminals use phone calls (vishing) to impersonate banks, IT support, or vendors and trick employees into revealing sensitive data. Even the tech savvy can be fooled. In 2020, Twitter employees were targeted by a vishing scam where attackers called posing as IT support, tricking them into revealing internal credentials. This led to a major Twitter hack where high-profile accounts, including Elon Musk and Barack Obama, were compromised.
How to stay safe:
- If someone calls requesting sensitive info, verify their identity through official channels.
- Never share passwords or financial details over the phone.
- Use a caller verification process before engaging with unknown numbers.
5. Social Media Angler Phishing
Scammers pretend to be customer service reps on social media, responding to business complaints or questions with fake support links. In 2022, cybercriminals targeted customers of PayPal and Bank of America through angler phishing on Twitter. Scammers responded to user complaints with fake customer support accounts, directing them to fraudulent login pages where credentials were stolen.
Avoid the heartbreak:
- Only interact with verified social media accounts.
- Never click support links sent via Direct Messages.
- Train your social media team to recognize fake customer service interactions.
How to Keep Your Business Cyber-Safe This Valentine’s Day
- Strengthen Security: Use multi-factor authentication (MFA) and strong passwords.
- Educate Your Team: Conduct phishing awareness training to recognize Valentine’s scams.
- Verify Everything: Always confirm payment requests, invoices, and special offers directly.
- Partner with a Managed Security Provider (MSP): Let us handle your cybersecurity so you can focus on business growth (and maybe even enjoy a Valentine’s dinner stress-free!).
At Computer Dimensions, we help businesses stay safe from cybercriminals looking to steal more than just your heart. Want a cybersecurity check-up? Let’s chat today before scammers send you a 'love letter' you’ll regret!
Contact Computer Dimensions today to secure your business and avoid heartache.
