Email security firm Tessian has reminded consumers and delivery companies to beware of phishing attacks where cybercriminals impersonate delivery companies, warning that instances could be higher than ever this year.
Research by the company last year showed that almost two-thirds of the top couriers were at risk of having their domains impersonated by scammers, thanks to poor protection of email domains against phishing, spoofing or fraud.
A survey by Tessian revealed that one in three (33%) UK citizens have received a phishing scam from a scammer posing as a delivery service this year already, and Tessian says that number could soar during Black Friday and Christmas.
Black Friday was the busiest time period for phishing scams during 2020 with 90,000 phishing attacks detected by Tessian in the week of Black Friday last year – more than three times the amount recorded for previous weeks. It believes that retailers starting sales earlier than normal and with nationwide supply chain issues, there is even more of an opportunity for cybercriminals to cash in on the Black Friday frenzy, capitalising on consumers’ desire for information regarding their online order and delivery status.
Tim Sadler, CEO for Tessian, said: “Black Friday presents the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to target consumers, as people are on the lookout for deals, expecting more deliveries and willing to engage with inbound email marketing. With online shopping and deliveries set to hit yet another all-time high this holiday season, consumers run the risk of falling for a phishing attack – either by email or text message – and sharing sensitive data if they miss the cues that signal a scam.”
He said these cues included spelling errors, a mismatch of the sender’s name and email address, and telephone starting with a local area code.
