“Heads-up! The IRS is warning against a new phishing scam that tries to make you download an FBI questionnaire. But if you click the link, your computer will be infected with ransomware instead. The scam email uses the emblems of both the IRS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Remember that the IRS does not use email, text messages or social media to discuss personal tax issues, such as those involving bills or refunds. THINK BEFORE YOU CLICK!

A number of firms around the world are reporting that they have been impacted by a major cyber attack which the UK’s cyber security agency is describing as a “global ransomware incident.”

Many of the initial reports of organisations affected came from Ukraine, including banks, energy companies and even Kiev’s main airport. But since then more incidents have been reported across Europe, indicating the incident is affecting more organisations more widely.

The National Bank of Ukraine said it has been hit by an “unknown virus” and is having difficulty providing customer services and banking operations as a result, while Kiev’s Boryspil International airport is also understood to be suffered from some kind of cyber attack.

Here is a reminder that you need to be alert for fake emails that look like they come from your local police or State Dept of Motor Vehicles (DMV) claiming you have a traffic violation. At the moment, there is a local scam in New York that falsely states you have outstanding violations you need to either pay for or refute, and if you don’t your license will be revoked. This scam may spread to the rest of America soon. Remember that citations are never emailed with links in them, or sent out with an email attachment, and report scams like this to your local police department.

Bad guys are now trying to trick computer users into believing they are infected with the WanaCry ransomware. A popup arrives on your screen from nowhere, and you cannot get rid of it. They popup claims it is from Microsoft, that your computer is infected and that you need to call tech support.

But when you call the number you get a scammer on the phone who will try to charge you 400 dollars to run a Microsoft malicious software removal tool that anyone can download for nothing. Remember that Microsoft’s error and warning messages on your PC will never include a phone number. Also, Microsoft will never proactively reach out to you to provide unsolicited PC or technical support. Any communication they have with you must be initiated by you.

Here are a few scams to be aware of this holiday season.

1. Black Friday/Cyber Monday Specials 

This time of year, online scams use a variety of lures to get unsuspecting buyers to click on links or open attachments. Bad guys build complete copies of well-known sites, send emails promoting great deals, sell products and take credit card information – but never deliver the goods. Sites that seem to have incredible discounts should be a red flag. Remember that when a “special offer” is too good to be true, it usually is. For instance, never click on links in emails or popups with very deep discount offers for watches, phones or tablets. Go to the website yourself through your browser and check if that offer is legit.

2. Complimentary Vouchers or Gift Cards

A popular holiday scam is big discounts on gift cards. Don’t fall for offers from retailers or social media posts that offer phony vouchers or (Starbucks) gift cards paired with special promotions or contests. Some posts or emails even appear to be shared by a friend (who may have been hacked). Develop a healthy dose of skepticism and “Think Before You Click” on offers or attachments with any gift cards or vouchers!

3. Bogus Shipping Notices From UPS and FedEx 

You are going to see emails supposedly from UPS and FedEx in your inbox that claim your package has a problem and/or could not be delivered. Many of these are phishing attacks that try to make you click on a link or open an attachment. However, what happens when you do that is that your computer gets infected with a virus or even ransomware which holds all your files hostage until you pay 500 dollars in ransom.

4. Holiday Refund Scams 

These emails seem to come from retail chains or e-commerce companies such as Amazon or eBay claiming there’s a “wrong transaction” and prompt you to click the refund link. However, when you do that and are asked to fill out a form, the personal information you give out will be sold to cyber criminals who use it against you. Oh, and never, never, never pay online with a debit card, only use credit cards. Why? if the debit card gets compromised, the bad guys can empty your bank account quickly.

5. Phishing on the Dark Side

A new phishing email has begun circulating that tricks people into thinking they could win movie tickets for the highly-anticipated film, “Star Wars: The Force Awakens,” due out on Dec. 18. However, the email is a phishing attack. Leading up to the film’s release, and shortly after, you need to watch out for this social engineering attack and not fall for the scam. Stay safe online!

BONUS TIP:

Never use an insecure public Wi-Fi to shop with your credit card. Only shop with a secure connection at home.

(If you are a KnowBe4 customer, we suggest you send the ready-made “Star Wars Tickets” template to all your users to inoculate them against this particular attack, it’s available in the Current Events campaign)