Cybercriminals have long used e-gift card scams to bilk millions out of unsuspecting victims, but the attacks are usually deployed around the holidays when people are rushing to load up on gifts for loved ones.
Attackers are moving well beyond the holiday season and are now leveraging the coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdown to push these e-gift card scams at a rate unseen before.
Researchers with cybersecurity firm PerimeterX have released new data showing an 820% increase in e-gift card scams since March, when most people began staying home to protect themselves from COVID-19.