Phishing emails and fake adverts flood inboxes this Christmas - and they’re getting harder to detect than ever

• Study finds Christmas parcel scams have doubled year-on-year
• Over 33,500 phishing attacks have been distributed so far
• Parcel scams, fake giveaways, and false retailer sites are ones to look out for

The holiday season always provides serious opportunities for scammers, who take advantage of the existing sale season, rise in legitimate ads, and general urgency to buy - but this year though, that’s been accelerated by (you guessed it) AI.

Previously, scammers had to take time and effort to create convincing looking phishing attacks or fake web pages - requiring a certain level of skill to trick unsuspecting internet users. But now, all criminals need is AI.

New Check Point research found this Christmas season has already seen over 33,500 holiday-themed phishing attacks distributed, as well as over 10,000 seasonal-themed social media adverts flagged as suspicious.