Don’t Fall for It: How to Stay Safe from Online Shopping Scams This Festive Season!

As the festive season triggers a surge in e-commerce deals and irresistible online offers, the risk of falling prey to scams also increases significantly. With GST 2.0 reforms effective from September 22, 2025, and increased digital activity, shoppers should stay alert to avoid cyber traps during their holiday purchases.

Common Online Shopping Scams During Festivals

During the festive period, scammers ramp up activities via fake e-commerce websites, suspicious QR codes and phishing messages. These traps are often disguised as deep festive discounts, fake influencer endorsements or fraudulent delivery links. According to a July 2025 McAfee Labs report, over 36,000 fake Amazon-like platforms and 75,000 impersonation messages were detected globally, showing the sheer scale of such fraudulent behaviour.

Steps to Ensure Safe and Secure Shopping

Always shop on verified apps or official brand websites. Make sure the payment page uses ‘https’ and avoid clicking on random links in emails, SMS or social media. Be sceptical of extremely high discounts that appear unrealistic. Only track deliveries through company-authorised sources and never share your UPI PINs or bank credentials with anyone claiming to be from customer support.

Read More: UPI Push Drives 377% Surge in Digital Gold Transactions to ₹1,184 Crore!

Emerging Fraud Trends to Watch Out For

Fake greeting cards and festive e-invites may contain malware that installs silently on your device. Always delete unfamiliar digital cards. Similarly, missed delivery scams and parcel alerts could be fake attempts to extract sensitive information. Also, beware of scam contests or too-good-to-be-true offers on social media platforms that could lead to device breaches or data collection fraud.

Protective Measures and Tools

Install anti-fraud applications like Quick Heal AntiFraud.AI for filtering suspicious URLs. Keep your device software updated, enable multi-factor authentication and follow good digital hygiene practices to ease the risk of leaks and hacks. Always verify customer service contacts from the official website instead of search engine results.

Conclusion

While festive deals can lead to major savings, especially after GST 2.0, it’s important for consumers to prioritise safety. Watch for fake websites, overly aggressive offers and impersonation tactics to ensure that your online shopping experience this season stays joyous and secure.

Disclaimer: This blog has been written exclusively for educational purposes. The securities or companies mentioned are only examples and not recommendations. This does not constitute a personal recommendation or investment advice. It does not aim to influence any individual or entity to make investment decisions. Recipients should conduct their own research and assessments to form an independent opinion about investment decisions.

Investments in securities are subject to market risks. Read all related documents carefully before investing.