This episode uncovers the "12 Threats of Christmas" defining the 2025 holiday season, where AI-driven social engineering and deepfakes have turned festive shopping into a high-stakes battlefield. We explore the surge in retail ransomware and "smishing" attacks, while auditing the hidden privacy risks of popular smart toys that may be spying on your home. Tune in to learn why experts call this the "peak hunting season" for cybercriminals and how to protect your digital identity from the perfect storm of holiday fraud.
www.scamwatchhq.com/the-12-threats-of-christmas-your-complete-2025-holiday-security-survival-guide
The Threats:
- Delivery "Smishing" - Fake package texts with malware
- Spy Toys - IoT vulnerabilities in connected gifts
- AI Voice Cloning - Deepfake grandparent & CEO scams
- Retail Ransomware - 230% surge targeting Black Friday
- Encryption-less Extortion - Data theft without file locking
- Social Media Malvertising - 40% fraud rate on Instagram/TikTok ads
- Charity Fraud - Deepfake victims soliciting donations
- Gift Card Draining - Physical tampering & "boss" email scams
- Crypto Rug Pulls - Holiday memecoins & fake celebrity livestreams
- Evil Twin Wi-Fi - Fake hotspots in airports and malls
- Account Takeover Bots - 520% spike in credential stuffing
- Supply Chain Breaches - Third-party vendor compromises
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