Festive Shopping Scams on the Rise: Cyber Experts Warn Users to Verify Links Before Making Purchases

As India starts the festive season, online shopping is growing, with massive discounts, flash sales, and limited-time deals. But with these celebrations comes a significant risk, online frauds.Fraudsters use fake websites, phishing links, and delivery scams to deceive customers into disclosing personal and financial information. Experts warn that festive sale scams, phishing emails, and fraudulent e-commerce sites are on the rise, targeting individuals looking for "too-good-to-be-true" prices.

During festivals like Diwali, Dhanteras, and Christmas, internet traffic rises on key sites like Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra, providing cybercriminals with an ideal time to strike. According to Srinivas L, Joint CEO of 63SATS Cybertech, customers are typically influenced by large discounts and neglect to verify links before clicking. Fake websites often use brand logos, professional graphics, and fake reviews to appear authentic.Their goal is simple that capture your data or money before you realise what has happened.

Rakesh Bakshi, Amazon India's Vice President of Legal, noted that fraud attempts increase during the festival season as purchasing activity rises. Fraudsters replicate trustworthy brands by sending fake order notifications, account suspension alerts, and shipping updates, causing victims to click dangerous links. Over the last year, Amazon has blocked over 55,000 phishing websites and 12,000 fraudulent phone numbers. The corporation is also collaborating with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) to launch awareness campaigns under the #ScamSmartIndia initiative.

Shubham Singh, a cybersecurity specialist, stated that scammers create fake shopping websites that look identical to legitimate ones. They attract customers by offering massive discounts and encouraging them to buy immediately before the offer expires. After paying, clients may receive fake products or nothing at all. These fake websites frequently have unusual or incorrectly spelled web domains, such as amaz0n-sale.com, and do not display the security symbol, https://, or the small padlock icon in the URL bar.

When purchasing online, keep an eye out for signs of scammers. Avoid websites that have unusual URLs or without the secure https:// padlock. Do not open links in unknown messages or emails requesting payments. Be aware of fake discounts, sites with no Cash on Delivery option, and anyone asking for your OTP, card details, or passwords. If you have already fallen victim to a scam, contact your bank immediately, block your card, and report the incident to cybercrime.gov.in. Keep screenshots and payment proofs as evidence. You can also contact the cyber fraud helpdesk at 1930 for prompt assistance.

Always trust messages and emails that come from official and verified sources. Never disclose personal information, passwords, or payment information with calls or messages pretending to be from a shopping website or service. It is always advisable to verify the sender before responding or taking any action.

Staying cautious is essential throughout the festive season, which provides attractive offers and high levels of internet activity. Before you make a purchase, double-check each deal, website, and message.You can make your online buying experience safer and less stressful by validating links, shopping only on legitimate platforms, and avoiding quick, impulsive clicks.

Stay alert, shop responsibly, and have a safe festive season.

Information referenced in this article is from The Indian Express