Too Many Phish In The Sea : Protect yourself from Valentine’s Day scams

As Valentine's Day approaches, love and romance aren't the only things in the air - cybercriminals are also on the prowl, preying on the increased online activity surrounding the holiday. With emotions running high and a spike in digital communication, individuals and employees alike become prime targets for Valentine's Day scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly 70,000 people reported falling victim to a romance scam in 2023 alone, resulting in reported losses of $1.3 billion; this number is only expected to rise this year.

As the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) warns of an increase in romance scams as Valentine's Day quickly approaches it is important for businesses and their employees to remain vigilant against these attacks.

In this blog, we'll explore why individuals are particularly susceptible to scams during Valentine's Day, which warning signs to look out for, and most importantly, how Telesystem's cybersecurity services can fortify your business and employees against these attacks.

Why Employees are Vulnerable to Cyberattacks Around Valentines Day

As a business owner, it is crucial to protect your company and team from these potential threats. Employees, unwittingly caught in the crossfire of love and cybercrime, find themselves particularly vulnerable to attacks during this season of affection. Here's why the workplace becomes a prime target for cyberattacks around Valentine's Day:

• Increased Personal Activities on Work Devices: With the rise of remote work, many employees use their work devices for personal tasks, including shopping for gifts, browsing romantic getaways, or sending heartfelt messages to loved ones. This convergence of personal and professional usage creates an ideal environment for cybercriminals to infiltrate company networks through unsuspecting employees.
• Clicking on Malicious Links: Cybercriminals capitalize on the heightened emotions surrounding Valentine's Day by sending phishing emails disguised as e-cards, romantic offers, or dating site notifications. Employees, eager to spread love and cheer, may click on these seemingly harmless links, unknowingly granting cybercriminals access to sensitive company data or introducing malware into the corporate network.
• Social Engineering Tactics: Cyber attackers are adept at leveraging social engineering tactics to manipulate individuals into divulging confidential information or performing actions that compromise cybersecurity. Around Valentine's Day, they may craft convincing messages posing as secret admirers or offering exclusive deals on romantic gifts, enticing employees to disclose personal or professional details that can be exploited for malicious purposes.
• Distraction and Emotional Vulnerability: The emotional intensity of Valentine's Day can impair judgment and heighten vulnerability to cyber threats. Employees preoccupied with planning romantic surprises or navigating relationship dynamics may overlook red flags in suspicious emails or fall prey to scams promising extravagant gestures of affection.
• Lack of Awareness and Training: Despite the growing awareness of cybersecurity threats, many employees remain inadequately informed about the risks associated with Valentine's Day cybercrime. Without proper training and education on recognizing and mitigating potential threats, employees are more susceptible to falling victim to social engineering tactics and phishing scams.

In other words, the romantic season assembles the perfect storm of circumstances for malicious attackers to strike and succeed, and it is crucial for companies to implement protective measures during this period of heightened vulnerability. The first step is understanding the different types of Valentines Day Scams, as prevention is far more effective than damage control.

Types of Valentines Day Scams

During the romantic holiday season, cybercriminals employ various tactics to target individuals and businesses. A crucial step in protecting your company is understanding these common Valentine's Day scams:

• Phishing Attacks: Phishing emails with romantic themes lure employees into clicking malicious links or sharing sensitive information, posing a significant threat to business data security.
• Social Engineering through Dating Apps: Scammers create fake profiles on dating apps to establish connections with employees, gathering critical organizational information for potential exploitation.
• Gift-Related Scams: Fraudulent gift schemes, including fake flower deliveries or charity requests, aim to deceive employees into compromising sensitive information or financial resources.
• Malicious E-cards: Scammers distribute e-cards containing malware, risking the compromise of business networks and the exposure of sensitive data.
• Impersonation Threats: Criminals impersonate legitimate services like florists or delivery companies, deceiving employees into divulging sensitive information or compromising business email accounts.

 Being aware of these types of holiday cybercrime is the first step in protecting your business. However, cybercrime education should not stop there. Let's explore the ways your business and employees can stay protected all year long.

How Telesystem Can Help Keep Your Heart and Wallet Safe  

Valentine's Day and romance scams have been a longstanding concern for individuals and businesses alike. While these scams have been around for years, the COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in the number of romance scams, as more people turn to digital platforms to connect with others. Unfortunately, this has also led to cybercriminals improving their skills and becoming more adept at carrying out these scams.

At Telesystem, we understand the importance of safeguarding your organization from cyber threats. Our comprehensive security solutions can help you identify and mitigate risks associated with romance and Valentine's Day scams.

We believe that knowledge is power when it comes to protecting your business. By understanding the tactics used by cybercriminals, you can better prepare your employees and yourself to identify and avoid falling victim to these scams.

Employee Security Awareness Training

As your first line of defense, employees are often targeted and fall prey to cyber scams which can be used to gain unauthorized access to sensitive company information. Our comprehensive employee security awareness training covers all aspects of cybersecurity, including social engineering techniques like romance scams. Our training programs are designed to be engaging, interactive, and tailored to meet the specific needs of your organization.

By investing in Telesystem's employee security awareness training, you can empower your employees to recognize and respond appropriately to potential threats like romance scams. Our training can help you significantly reduce the likelihood of financial losses and data breaches, ensuring that your business stays protected. We believe that fostering a culture of understanding is key because cybersecurity extends well beyond the workplace; ultimately, knowing how to identify and avoid online scams contributes to a more cyber-resilient society.

Advanced Email Protection

Valentine's Day is a special occasion to celebrate love and affection, but it is also a prime time for cybercriminals to target individuals and businesses. Recently, there has been a surge in Valentine's Day-themed phishing emails, with cyber attackers launching over 400 new scams every week, marking a 29% increase in successful attacks from the previous year. The reason behind this is simple; employees are bombarded with triple the number of emails than usual, including romantic holiday promotions, deals, and shipment confirmations. They also must handle their regular workload and the pressure of meeting their special someone's expectations. Unfortunately, cybercriminals take advantage of this by attaching malicious files and embedded links disguised as harmless Valentine's Day-themed content, which can easily dupe employees into falling prey to cyberattacks.

The consequences of falling for these scams can be devastating to an organization. For instance, an employee may receive a promotional Valentine’s Day email with a flashy subject line that catches their eye. The email appears to be harmless, so the unsuspecting employee opens it and clicks on the link. Upon redirection to a different website, they find a generic message, wishing the recipient a “Happy Valentines Day.” What they do not realize is that they have triggered a malware infection that will spread throughout the company's entire network, ultimately leading to the compromise of sensitive customer data, disruption of business operations, significant financial losses, and reputational damage.

To prevent such scenarios from happening, businesses need to be proactive. This is where Telesystems’ Advanced Email Protection comes in. Our advanced email security solution offers a comprehensive solution to keep your employees and business safe this romantic holiday season. It guards against spam, email viruses, and malware, as well as other forms of email-based attacks that are frequently overlooked. Additionally, it offers encryption and screening of outbound emails to prevent critical internal information from being mistakenly sent by your staff.

Cybercriminals use this time of year to prey on employees' emotions, whether they are busy, stressed, excited, or distracted by holiday plans. By leveraging this change in mood, attackers can easily trick employees into clicking on a malicious link or making a poor judgment call.  With our comprehensive email security program, employees can rest assured that their personal and professional information is kept safe, and redirect their energy to spending Valentine’s Day with their loved ones.

Telesystem has the Cybersecurity Solutions for your Business

Valentine's Day scams pose a serious threat to both individuals and businesses, and cybercriminals are consistently refining their tactics to carry out these scams. However, by remaining vigilant and investing in effective security solutions, you can effectively shield yourself and your organization from these risks. By partnering with Telesystem, you can rest assured that your business is protected, and your staff is trained to recognize and conquer any issues that may arise.