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Holiday

November 4, 2025

 

Keep scammers out of your stockings this holiday season

A new Mastercard survey shows that nearly half of shoppers would ignore red flags for a deep discount or perfect gift.

A woman in a Santa hat and a young girl in an antler headband look at a laptop while the woman holds a credit card.

Alyssa Carthy

Senior Specialist,

Global Communications,

Mastercard

’Tis the season to be shopping! With sleigh loads of deals dropping faster than Santa down the chimney, it’s easy to get swept up in the holiday hustle. But while you’re dashing through the web for gifts and deals, cyber grinches are lurking, ready to turn your clicks into tricks in hopes of stealing your personal data.

Even the savviest shoppers can fall prey to holiday thievery. According to a new global survey from Mastercard and the Harris Poll, 41% of respondents say they’re more cautious online this time of year — but nearly half admit that they’d ignore security red flags for a deep discount or that perfect hard-to-find gift.

48%

Nearly half of consumers admit they are likely to ignore security warnings if the item is deeply discounted. 

 

Though one in four consumers claim to avoid unfamiliar websites, 72% still shop on them — often with little research. The biggest red flags that make shoppers pause? Prices that seem too good to be true (52%), poor spelling or grammar (48%), and requests for unnecessary personal info (49%). Unfortunately, nearly one in five have had items that never arrived, and 16% have received counterfeit goods in past seasons.

And fraud threats are both on the rise and constantly evolving, with generative AI in particular supercharging scams. By scanning billions of transactions in real time, Mastercard has stopped $50 billion in fraud over the past three years, monitors 32 million risk events daily, and has harnessed gen AI to detect compromised cards twice as fast — giving fraudsters a lump of coal and you a little more peace this season.

“While you’re focused on finding the perfect gift, Mastercard is working behind the scenes to keep your transactions safe,” says Alissa “Dr. Jay” Abdullah, deputy chief security officer for Mastercard. “Our goal is simple: make sure your holiday shopping is secure so you can focus on what matters most.”

Tips for securing your Santa’s sleigh

Scan with care this season

QR codes and flashy ads with enticing “low” prices aren’t always gifts. Sometimes they’re wrapped up in trouble, like malware or fake sites that hope you’ll unwittingly enter your credit card information.

 

Update before you celebrate

Your device is your most reliable shopping buddy. Make sure it’s dressed up for the holidays with the latest software updates to protect against evolving threats.

 

Check twice for naughty fake delivery alerts

Not every “Santa is on the way!” message is the real deal. When in doubt, contact the company using official channels.

 

Spread holiday generosity with confidence

Research charities before donating to ensure your money goes to a reputable cause.

 

Don’t let fake captchas play the Grinch

If a captcha challenge asks for downloads or personal info, shut it down fast. Real captchas will only want a simple click or for you to pick images.

Securing small businesses

A series of Mastercard white papers explores cybersecurity for small businesses, offering insights and practical tools to safeguard companies from cyberattacks.

Learn more
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