{"id":5462,"date":"2024-11-13T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.malwarebytes.com\/press\/?p=5462"},"modified":"2024-11-12T08:46:51","modified_gmt":"2024-11-12T16:46:51","slug":"buyer-beware-new-malwarebytes-research-reveals-holiday-shopping-scams-involving-playstation-amazon-walmart-and-temu","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.malwarebytes.com\/press\/2024\/11\/13\/buyer-beware-new-malwarebytes-research-reveals-holiday-shopping-scams-involving-playstation-amazon-walmart-and-temu","title":{"rendered":"Buyer Beware: New Malwarebytes Research Reveals Holiday Shopping Scams Involving PlayStation, Amazon, Walmart, and Temu\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Fake websites, too-good-to-be-true deals, and a steady uptick in malvertising in advance of holiday shopping season<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

SANTA CLARA, Calif. \u2013 November 13, 2024 \u2013 <\/strong>Malwarebytes, a global leader in real-time cyber protection, released new research<\/a> revealing a slew of holiday-themed scams aimed at consumers this holiday shopping season. The scams involve popular gift-gifting categories, including gaming systems and gift cards, shopping platforms such as Amazon, and shipping services like USPS. Researchers also revealed a 41% uptick in malvertising, or malicious advertising, leading into Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ease and convenience of online shopping has shifted attitudes over the past few years with consumers spending $1.243 trillion<\/a> online in 2023. While web browsers are the doorway to internet activity and specifically shopping, buyers should be aware that it’s also a convenient platform for fraud. Over the last five years, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)<\/a> says it\u2019s received 3.79 million complaints for a wide range of internet scams which resulted in $37.4 billion in losses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Web-based attacks are the new frontier for hackers,\u201d said Mark Beare, GM of the Consumer Business Unit, Malwarebytes. \u201cFor years, attackers needed to get on your desktop to access files or private information. Today, most consumers readily enter and store passwords, credit card numbers, home addresses, and a list of other personal information into browsers and websites. It\u2019s become a playground for criminals looking to make big money. While many consumers think they\u2019re not a target, I caution that it\u2019s not about you\u2014it\u2019s about you at scale.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI find the range and quality of brands being spoofed most alarming,\u201d said J\u00e9r\u00f4me Segura, Senior Director of Threat Intelligence, Malwarebytes. \u201cCriminals are investing money and leveraging AI tools to create very believable fake websites, shopping cart checkout pages, and scams. I urge consumers to avoid any sponsored ad links, be wary of where they enter information, and use browser protection tools to help stop credit card skimming, a truly silent threat.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malvertising on the rise<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Malvertising, or malicious advertising, has seen a steady uptick leading into the holiday shopping season. Most malvertising hides in sponsored ads, making it especially pernicious for those browsing on mobile devices.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last fall, Malwarebytes tracked a 42% increase month-over-month in malvertising incidents in the US. This year, researchers saw a similar uptick, with a 41% increase from July to Sept. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

No brand is safe, including Google. Threat researchers tracked malvertising campaigns that spoof Google<\/a>, Walmart,<\/a> Disney+<\/a>, Lowe\u2019s<\/a>, Apple<\/a>\u2013and even Malwarebytes. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most (77%) of advertiser accounts used in malvertising campaigns are used once only, created quickly and then burned. Once that account is dead, cybercriminals spin up the next one and so on.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The bulk of accounts being used maliciously are based in the US due to a combination of fake identities and hijacked accounts. However, advertisers originating in a few regions, Pakistan and Vietnam, account for 90% of the fraud<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to avoid online scams this holiday season<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

When using the internet, regardless of your device, keep these tips in mind. <\/p>\n\n\n\n