The end of the year is approaching: Beware of the scam and fraud season!

The year is drawing to a close, and the holiday season marks the beginning of one of the busiest periods on the Internet, like Black Friday and the long-awaited Christmas and New Year! And it is precisely during this period that year-end promotions soar, online purchases gain momentum and, of course, financial scams increase.

Cybercriminals take advantage of the euphoria caused by these commemorative dates to create scams, whether to steal other people's data or receive payments directly. After all, cyber scams rely, for the most part, on social engineering — and, at the end of the year, it becomes easier than ever to manipulate a victim's feelings. People are naturally desperate not to miss out on discounts, believing more easily everything they find on the web. This includes fake and/or unreliable online stores, as well as phishing campaigns that copy the visual identity of large retailers to steal financial and personal information.

Tips to protect yourself

Like any other social engineering-based cyber threat, you can protect yourself from the holiday season's scams by simply taking a deep breath and thinking twice before taking any action. The rush to "buy before it runs out" and the urge to "pay the lowest price" can be all a scammer needs to succeed in deceiving you and causing a lot of headaches later on. Here are some basic tips you can follow:

• Plan ahead: We know it is tempting to buy everything at the lowest price. However, planning ahead and making lists of what you are really interested in can make your life easier when searching for reliable stores;

• Be careful with emails: It is normal for online stores to send marketing emails to advertise their promotions. However, never click on a link in a message received — prefer to manually visit the website and find the advertised product there, avoiding possible phishing;

• Be doubly careful on social media: Like email, social media and instant messengers can become hostile venues in the holiday season, with malicious ads and message chains leading you to fake stores. Ignore them and help your family and friends protect themselves as well;

• Do some research on the store: check the store's reputation before closing the deal. Look for reviews on the internet, in specific communities, and on complaint websites;

• Beware of payment methods: For example, in Brazil, there is PIX, which is practical but impossible to track to get your money back in case of a scam. Use credit cards — preferably a virtual one created specifically for this type of purchase, which is possible at most banks today —, facilitating an eventual chargeback.

No unnecessary scares

It's worth noting that, in addition to helping you avoid cyber scams, these tips can also ensure your financial well-being. After all, it's not hard to find someone who loses control during the holiday season and buys more than they should, later regretting it when the bills arrive. When making purchases, stay calm, plan ahead, and keep emotional control: all this is essential to help you make the right decisions and, at the same time, prevent the expansion of the cybercrime market.