Overview
- Mexico City’s Cyber Police (SSC) issued an alert on a ‘Regalos Navideños’ scheme circulating on messaging apps and social platforms that uses fake prize and coupon offers to harvest personal and banking data or deliver malware.
- Spain’s Guardia Civil cautioned consumers about seasonal phishing using bogus coupons, giveaways and prize notifications that mimic real brands, urging people to verify promotions only through official channels.
- Palo Alto Networks reported a late‑November to December spike in two threats: reactivated Scattered LAPSUS$ Hunters extortion and a Morocco‑linked ‘Jingle Thief’ campaign that infiltrates gift‑card issuers to generate fraudulent cards for resale.
- Outlets catalogued common holiday cons, including fake delivery problem notices, fraudulent social‑media sweepstakes, vishing calls posing as banks, and marketplace refund ploys based on doctored payment proofs.
- Authorities advise avoiding unsolicited links, enabling two‑factor authentication, updating devices, and warning contacts; victims are urged to contact their bank to block cards, preserve evidence, change passwords and file police reports.