Holiday scams | Why the festive season makes us vulnerable

Every year, as December lights up with celebration, scamsters prepare for their own kind of festive season. One that is built on urgency, emotional manipulation and the simple truth that people let their guard down when they’re tired, travelling or chasing once-a-year deals. In this episode of Everything Counts, Motheo Khoaripe chats to fraud expert Kevin Hogan and cybersecurity specialist Nomalizo Hlazo about holiday scams.

The holidays aren’t just a peak period for generosity; they’re a peak period for fraud and consumers need to be aware.

Why do holiday scams spike in December

Kevin Hogan and Nomalizo Hlazo describe the same pattern returning annually: as bonuses arrive and travel plans pick up, scam activity climbs sharply. It’s not because people suddenly behave carelessly, it’s because scammers understand human behaviour exceptionally well.

A ‘limited offer’, a ‘final discount’ or a ‘confirm-your-booking’ message can nudge even the sharpest consumer into fast, emotional decision-making. And during the holidays, our desire to secure a perfect trip or gift amplifies this vulnerability.

The power of manufactured urgency

The power of a good deal is often enough to get most people to make a purchase and scamsters often use this, coupled with a sense of urgency.

Holiday scams thrive on:

• Fake travel sites offering ‘unbeatable’ flight deals
• Accommodation listings that vanish after payment
• Online stores cloned with convincing branding
• Fraudulent courier/payment links disguised as order updates

Every one of these tactics leverages urgency. Scammers aren’t selling fraudulent products, they’re selling time pressure.

Why modern holiday scams look legitimate

As Noma points out, today’s scammer doesn’t need high-level technical expertise. With AI-generated pages, logo replicas, pre-written scripts and access to leaked personal data, almost anyone can appear credible. The barrier to creating realistic fraud has dropped and the quality of deception has exploded.

It’s important to remember that scams don’t happen because people are naive. They happen because timing works against them.

Someone exhausted at work, someone booking last-minute accommodation, someone juggling kids at the airport; these are perfectly normal states of mind that scammers exploit. Victims often reframe the experience as a personal failure but fraud is engineered, calculated and perfectly timed.

Holiday scams can be phishing scams

Not all holiday scams come wrapped in flashy discounts or fake booking confirmations. Many operate quietly through phishing, designed to steal sensitive personal or financial information. Scammers often pose as trusted entities such as airlines, hotels or popular online stores, sending emails, WhatsApp messages or social media links that appear legitimate.

The danger lies in the subtlety. A message might look authentic, complete with logos, branding, and professional language, prompting you to click a link or provide login credentials. Once you do, your personal information (banking details, passwords or even identity documents) can be captured instantly. Even HTTPS websites or professional-looking emails aren’t guarantees of legitimacy; scammers now have the tools to create highly convincing digital facades.

How to protect yourself from scams

Use verified channels

Kevin emphasises:

• Don’t trust numbers or links sent by seller
• Don’t rely on screenshots as proof
• Don’t use unconventional payment methods

If someone insists on instant EFT or refuses secure channels, that’s not convenience, it’s a red flag.

Improve your digital hygiene

Noma highlights basics that drastically reduce risk:

• Use strong, unique passwords
• Enable multifactor authentication
• Always check URLs carefully
• Use virtual bank cards when shopping online

These behaviours make you a harder target than the next person in the scammer’s queue.

Staying a step ahead this festive season

The festive season should be a time of joy, rest and making memories, not of financial stress or regret. Scamsters thrive on distraction, urgency and trust, but the tools to protect yourself are simple, accessible and effective. By using verified channels, practicing good digital hygiene, setting limits with virtual cards and pausing before clicking on ‘too good to be true’ deals, you take control of your financial safety.

Awareness is your first line of defence. Staying informed, double-checking deals and thinking critically about every transaction doesn’t dampen the holiday spirit, it preserves it. With vigilance, preparation and a few practical habits, you can enjoy the season fully, confident that your money, personal data and peace of mind are protected.

Because in the end, a truly magical holiday is one spent safe, stress-free and scam-free.