With the end of the year nearing, two U.S. government agencies are warning shoppers to be cautious of online holiday shopping scams, fake emails and unencrypted financial transactions.

The warnings today came from both the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency. Of the two, the FBI goes into more detail, stating that it’s pertinent for shoppers to be aware of “increasingly aggressive and unorthodox scams designed by criminals to steal money and personal information.”

The potential scams detailed include online shopping scams, warning shoppers to avoid unfamiliar sites offering unrealistic discounts on brand-name merchandise. Shoppers are also being warned of “payment red flags” where sellers and websites demand payment solely through gift cards.

Those seeking to charitable donations over the holiday season are being warned of “charity scams.” These scams are said to involve criminals using phone calls, email campaigns and fake websites to solicit funds on behalf of fake charities.

“We saw a massive spike in COVID-19-related scams when the pandemic first broke out, so it makes sense that there would be a spike in retail-related URLs, especially at a time when online shopping has become the primary way people are purchasing things,” Hank Schless, senior manager, security solutions at mobile security solutions firm Lookout Inc., told SiliconANGLE.

Chris Morales, head of security analytics at artificial intelligence-powered cybersecurity company Vectra AI Inc. noted that emails containing deals and links to discount websites that seem too good to be true will be the main cause of security issues during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

“It is deal season and the easiest way for a retailer to advertise their deals is by sending customers an email,” Morales explained. “Because people are eagerly looking for deals, there is a spike in phishing emails during the holiday season and they are easy for attackers to blend in. Don’t go to third-party websites advertising specials. Just go to the website, whether it be Amazon, Best Buy or elsewhere. Most importantly, remember that if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Photo: Pxhere