When Holiday Distractions Turn into Cyber Loss

Each year, businesses enter the holiday season with expectations of growth and reward. Yet, the same period also offers cybercriminals their best opportunity to strike. For an accounts-payable clerk at a mid-sized firm, a text asking to buy $3,000 in Apple gift cards looked harmless until the codes vanished. That loss hurt. But for Orion S.A., a Luxembourg-based chemical manufacturer, the consequence was far worse: wire transfers totalling $60 million sent to criminals after what appeared to be routine requests.

These aren’t isolated incidents. In 2024, attacks classified as business email compromise (BEC) accounted for 73% of all reported cyber incidents. Even more concerning: generative-AI tools now enable better impersonation, with nearly 40% of phishing emails flagged as AI-generated in early 2024.

For companies in Florida and California, which host a large number of remote or hybrid teams and handle high transaction volumes, the risk intensifies. Holiday distractions, thin staffing, and accelerated approvals create a perfect environment for “one wrong click.”

Five holiday-specific scam tactics your team must recognise

1. “Your boss needs gift cards”: Impersonators spoof executive identities, text employees to buy gift cards, and send codes. In Q1 2024 gift-card schemes made up ~38% of BEC incidents.
   Prevention ⚠️ Enforce policy: no gift cards requested by text or email without dual approvals; train employees that executives never ask via text.

2. Invoice and payment switch-ups: Fraudsters hijack vendor email chains or send altered banking instructions just before year-end billing.
   Prevention ⚠️ For any request to change payment details, call a number already on file. Set rules for live confirmation over thresholds.

3. Fake shipping-delivery notices: Emails impersonating carriers (UPS/FedEx/USPS) with links to “reschedule delivery” lead to credential theft or malware installation.
   Prevention ⚠️ Train staff to type the carrier’s address directly or use bookmarked links. Do not click links in unsolicited tracking notices.

4. Malicious “holiday party” attachments: Documents named “Holiday_Schedule.pdf” or “Party_List.xls” mask malware or ransomware.
   Prevention ⚠️ Disable macros, scan all attachments, and verify unexpected files via phone if unsure.

5. Bogus holiday fundraisers: Phishing websites pretend to be charities or “company-match” drives, stealing money or data.
   Prevention ⚠️ Maintain an approved charity list. Require donations via official portals. Educate employees on social-engineering tactics.

Why do these attacks succeed

The same digital tools that power businesses (email, cloud services, online banking) also provide attackers with tools. These threats are not dummy easy to catch. They are sophisticated, data-driven impersonations that masquerade as trusted communications. Organizations that conduct phishing simulations reduce risk by roughly 60%. Multifactor authentication (MFA) can block up to 99% of unauthorized logins,  but many still rely only on passwords. 

Your Holiday Defence Checklist

• Implement a two-person rule: any transaction over your set threshold must be verbally verified via a separate channel.

• Establish a gift-card policy: no gift cards via email or text without senior-level, dual sign-off.

• Verify all vendor payment-detail changes via phone to a number on file.

• Enable MFA on email, banking and cloud accounts.

• Host a short awareness session with your team on these five scam tactics and real examples.

The true cost isn’t only financial

While the $60 million figure grabs headlines, smaller losses can cripple a business. The average loss for BEC incidents in recent reports is around $129,000; a sum that can sink a small business at its busiest time of year. Beyond money, businesses suffer disrupted operations, diminished customer trust and higher insurance premiums.

This holiday season should focus on growth, not recovery from fraud. With your team, clear policies and layered authentication, you can shift from reaction to readiness. For businesses in Florida and California, where regulatory scrutiny and digital activity are high, the margin for error is lower. If you want to ensure your business is protected before the next surge, book a 15-minute discovery call with KairosIT. The best gift your business receives this season is confidence.