(Seattle, WA, Thursday, November 15, 2018) – As the holidays approach and consumers enter peak holiday-shopping season, it also signals “prime crime time” for hackers and fraudsters who prey on unsuspecting holiday shoppers and those who become distracted by year-end activities.

Consumers today are used to the frustration that comes when breaches result in major companies leaking their personal data; however, what most people don’t realize is that they too are targeted by scammers and need to be vigilant about protecting confidential information. Phishing, one of the most common cyber-attacks, is the entry point that leads hackers directly to your personal data, credit card numbers, bank accounts and more—and these attacks increase significantly during the holidays.

New research from security company F5 Networks’ threat research group, F5 Labs, and data partner, Webroot, reveals a 50% increase in fraud attempts in October, November and December. They also found that hackers are increasingly sophisticated, using trusted platforms like LinkedIn and Dropbox, and strategically opting to hit victims during a peak time for online shopping this holiday season by spoofing popular tech and financial banking institutions. The company expects targeted phishing scams involving shipping and ecommerce sites will also increase as the holiday shopping season ramps up.

In order to keep personal data out of the hands of phishing scammers, F5 recommends you be on the lookout for suspicious emails, texts, tweets, or other social media messages requesting personal information and avoid clicking on any links or attachments. Additionally, in the workplace you should flag anything suspicious to your organization’s IT security department so they can determine whether it’s malicious and identify the appropriate next steps.