🎄 ’Tis the Season for Hackers: Why Holiday Emails Are a Cybercriminal’s Favorite Gift

The holidays are supposed to be about cheer, generosity, and maybe one too many cookies. Unfortunately, it’s also prime season for hackers.

Recently, one of our customers received an email that appeared to come from GoDaddy, warning that a payment method had failed and services would be suspended within 24 hours unless payment information was updated. The email looked professional, urgent, and familiar.

That’s exactly the problem.

Had the recipient clicked the link and entered their credit card information, that data would have gone straight to scammers—not GoDaddy.

🎁 Why Holiday Phishing Works So Well

Hackers know a few things about this time of year:

• Businesses are busy and distracted

• People are expecting renewal and billing emails

• Urgency lowers our guard (“24 hours!”)

• Familiar brands create false trust

Think of it like a porch pirate wearing a delivery uniform. You don’t question it at first glance—until your package is gone.

🚩 Red Flags in the Email (Even When It Looks Legit)

Even polished phishing emails often share common warning signs:

• Urgent threats (account suspension, service shutdown)

• Links asking you to “update” payment details

• Generic greetings like “Dear Customer”

• Links that don’t go directly to the company’s real website

• Pressure to act now instead of logging in normally

In this case, the email used GoDaddy branding and language—but the link was the giveaway.

🔐 The Safe Way to Handle Emails Like This

If you ever receive a billing or security email:

1. Do not click the link

2. Open a browser and go directly to the company’s website yourself

3. Log in using your normal bookmark

4. Check your account notifications there

5. When in doubt—ask your IT provider

That extra 30 seconds can save months of cleanup.

🎄 Hackers Don’t Take Holidays—But You Can Stay Protected

Phishing attacks spike during the holidays because they work. One click is all it takes.

At FTS Technology, we help businesses protect themselves with:

• Advanced email filtering

• User security awareness training

• Ongoing monitoring for suspicious activity

• Managing your renewals

• Real humans you can call before clicking “Update Payment”

Because the only thing you should be giving away this season… is cookies—not credit card numbers.