How To Keep Yourself Safe From Online Shopping Scams During Festive Season

The festival season sees a shopping spree, both online and offline. Now, with GST 2.0 reforms coming into effect on Sept. 22, which coincided with the first day of Navratri, customers can reap the benefits of lower taxes and make their festival shopping even more exciting. But the season also records a rise in cybercrime and phishing activities. So, shoppers need to remain vigilant.

Scammers take advantage of the excitement of festive season sales by targeting shoppers with fake websites, phishing links, fraudulent QR codes and impersonation messages. Deepfakes of influencers endorsing products or fake customer support numbers also become more regular during this time. The threat of this magnitude was illustrated in a July 2025 report by McAfee Labs, which found that there were more than 36,000 fake Amazon sites and 75,000 impersonation messages.

• Shop only on official websites or authenticated apps.

• Don't click on suspicious links in emails, messages or social media messages.

• Verify the URL and security certificate (https://) before making payments.

• Be cautious of extremely high discounts - they may be a trap.

• Get delivery details only from the authentic company website or app.

• Don't share UPI PINs or bank details with any individual.

• Employ security tools such as Quick Heal AntiFraud.AI to filter out malicious links and identify concealed threats.

• Practice good digital hygiene by keeping software up-to-date and turning on multi-factor authentication.

• Phishing sites: Scammers build fake stores offering amazing deals to capture financial data. Use only trusted sources and never enter credit card numbers on unauthenticated sites.

• Malicious greeting cards: It’s normal to get electronic greeting cards during the holidays, but some e-cards can contain malware. Always delete cards from strangers or those with errors in personal information.

• Fake shipping notifications: Scammers also send emails pretending to be reputable courier firms, telling you that you have a parcel. These emails try to trick you into disclosing personal details or installing malware. Make sure to check delivery information through official company websites and never click on any links in unsolicited emails.

• Missed package scams: Bogus messages of undelivered packages can lead you into divulging sensitive details. Always confirm deliveries through official methods.

• Social media frauds: Misleading contests or coupons commonly ask for personal information or compromise devices with malware. Be wary of offers that sound too good to be true.

Though the GST 2.0 cuts and festive offers are a great chance to save, customers need to ensure that prioritise safety.