Guest Post – AI agents, Christmas markets, and sneaky greetings: holiday scams targeting you
Addictive scrolling, which develops faster than you think, is not the only thing you should watch out for this holiday season.A Surfshark expert highlights the main online risks you can encounter while scrolling.
Unsupervised AI shopping agents
AI shopping agents are a booming trend, with Big Tech announcing AI updates that can buy the exact sweater you are searching for and even call the shop to ask if they have it in stock. The trend of using chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini AI to assist you with shopping is also at its peak.
Tomas Stamulis, Chief Security Officer at Surfshark, says the risk arises when you trust AI shopping assistants entirely and without double-checking. “I sometimes use a chatbot to help me with shopping. However, I evaluate what online shops it offers because sometimes they can be scams, taking me to malicious websites. So, always review what AI suggests before purchasing, and never grant unlimited access to your financial details.”
Phone snatching in Christmas markets
Phone snatching, when street criminals take your mobile phone from your hands, usually unlocked, is a particularly common crime in crowded Christmas markets. A moment of your distraction can result in far-reaching consequences. According to Surfshark expert Tomas Stamulis, taking simple steps can help protect you from the damage caused by phone snatching. “Stay vigilant in public, especially in crowded or high-risk areas. Keep your phone out of sight when not in use. Use an anti-spying screen so people around you can’t easily see what you’re doing. Also, ensure “Stolen Device Protection” is active on iOS or “Theft Protection” on Android (depends on device) and your home and work addresses are correct.”
Sneaky links in Christmas greetings
People’s interest in creating Christmas greetings online and sharing them with loved ones does not go unnoticed by scammers. You probably receive those snappy interactive greetings via social media, email, and SMS. Thank the sender for goodwill, yet never click the links included in those greetings. If you did and were led to a strange site, we hope you didn’t provide any of your private information, such as your real name, surname, email address, telephone number, or home address.
Sorry, it’s too good to be true
Have you ever encountered a Christmas deal that seemed too good to be true? It probably was. Scammers create fake gift deals for popular and hard-to-find items to trick shoppers into falling for them. Mr. Stamulis advises being skeptical of Christmas deals that seem unrealistically good. “Always verify the offer by checking the retailer’s official website. If you spot something that seems like a ‘hot deal’, look closely at URLs and other text for typos or unusual characters, which are red flags.”
Gifting your personal data via public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is available at cafes, restaurants, train stations, hotels, and other public spaces for your convenience. It’s just that the number one rule for a privacy-conscious person is never to use free public Wi-Fi. Public networks are frequently exploited by hackers, who can intercept sensitive data, including account credentials, email addresses, passwords, and financial information. “Without an active VPN, using public Wi-Fi is insecure; it’s like gifting your personal data to total strangers,” points out Tomas Stamulis.
Christmas cleaning your private data will thank you for
Most people want to tie up loose ends before the New Year. Paying back debts, making peace with those you’ve argued with, and just finishing unfinished business. Review the apps you’ve accumulated over the year and get rid of those that just take up space. Surfshark conducted at least a few studies that revealed mobile apps to be extremely data-hungry and privacy-intrusive. Your private data will thank you for this Christmas cleaning.
ABOUT SURFSHARK
Surfshark is a cybersecurity company offering products includingan audited VPN, certified antivirus, data leak warning system, private search engine, and a tool for generating an online identity. Recognized as a leading VPN by CNET and TechRadar, Surfshark has also been featured on the FT1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies ranking. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Surfshark has offices in Lithuania and Poland. For information on Surfshark’s operations and highlights, read our Annual Wrap-up. For more research projects, visit our research hub.
This entry was posted on December 8, 2025 at 9:46 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Surfshark. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Guest Post – AI agents, Christmas markets, and sneaky greetings: holiday scams targeting you
Addictive scrolling, which develops faster than you think, is not the only thing you should watch out for this holiday season. A Surfshark expert highlights the main online risks you can encounter while scrolling.
Unsupervised AI shopping agents
AI shopping agents are a booming trend, with Big Tech announcing AI updates that can buy the exact sweater you are searching for and even call the shop to ask if they have it in stock. The trend of using chatbots like ChatGPT or Gemini AI to assist you with shopping is also at its peak.
Tomas Stamulis, Chief Security Officer at Surfshark, says the risk arises when you trust AI shopping assistants entirely and without double-checking. “I sometimes use a chatbot to help me with shopping. However, I evaluate what online shops it offers because sometimes they can be scams, taking me to malicious websites. So, always review what AI suggests before purchasing, and never grant unlimited access to your financial details.”
Phone snatching in Christmas markets
Phone snatching, when street criminals take your mobile phone from your hands, usually unlocked, is a particularly common crime in crowded Christmas markets. A moment of your distraction can result in far-reaching consequences. According to Surfshark expert Tomas Stamulis, taking simple steps can help protect you from the damage caused by phone snatching. “Stay vigilant in public, especially in crowded or high-risk areas. Keep your phone out of sight when not in use. Use an anti-spying screen so people around you can’t easily see what you’re doing. Also, ensure “Stolen Device Protection” is active on iOS or “Theft Protection” on Android (depends on device) and your home and work addresses are correct.”
Sneaky links in Christmas greetings
People’s interest in creating Christmas greetings online and sharing them with loved ones does not go unnoticed by scammers. You probably receive those snappy interactive greetings via social media, email, and SMS. Thank the sender for goodwill, yet never click the links included in those greetings. If you did and were led to a strange site, we hope you didn’t provide any of your private information, such as your real name, surname, email address, telephone number, or home address.
Sorry, it’s too good to be true
Have you ever encountered a Christmas deal that seemed too good to be true? It probably was. Scammers create fake gift deals for popular and hard-to-find items to trick shoppers into falling for them. Mr. Stamulis advises being skeptical of Christmas deals that seem unrealistically good. “Always verify the offer by checking the retailer’s official website. If you spot something that seems like a ‘hot deal’, look closely at URLs and other text for typos or unusual characters, which are red flags.”
Gifting your personal data via public Wi-Fi
Free Wi-Fi is available at cafes, restaurants, train stations, hotels, and other public spaces for your convenience. It’s just that the number one rule for a privacy-conscious person is never to use free public Wi-Fi. Public networks are frequently exploited by hackers, who can intercept sensitive data, including account credentials, email addresses, passwords, and financial information. “Without an active VPN, using public Wi-Fi is insecure; it’s like gifting your personal data to total strangers,” points out Tomas Stamulis.
Christmas cleaning your private data will thank you for
Most people want to tie up loose ends before the New Year. Paying back debts, making peace with those you’ve argued with, and just finishing unfinished business. Review the apps you’ve accumulated over the year and get rid of those that just take up space. Surfshark conducted at least a few studies that revealed mobile apps to be extremely data-hungry and privacy-intrusive. Your private data will thank you for this Christmas cleaning.
ABOUT SURFSHARK
Surfshark is a cybersecurity company offering products including an audited VPN, certified antivirus, data leak warning system, private search engine, and a tool for generating an online identity. Recognized as a leading VPN by CNET and TechRadar, Surfshark has also been featured on the FT1000: Europe’s Fastest Growing Companies ranking. Headquartered in the Netherlands, Surfshark has offices in Lithuania and Poland. For information on Surfshark’s operations and highlights, read our Annual Wrap-up. For more research projects, visit our research hub.
Share this:
Like this:
Related
This entry was posted on December 8, 2025 at 9:46 am and is filed under Commentary with tags Surfshark. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.