By the Ambisure team · November 2026
The festive season is the busiest time of year for shopping, gifting and digital payments. It is also the busiest time for cybercriminals. They know we are distracted, in a hurry and hunting for a good deal, so they dress their scams up as offers, delivery updates and payment requests.
At Ambisure, our approach is simple: let’s secure it. Here are 10 practical ways to protect yourself, your family and your business this festive season.
1. Treat “too good to be true” offers as bait
“Win a free Diwali hamper.” “Claim your gift before midnight.” Messages like these spread fast on WhatsApp, SMS and social media, often as forwards that look like they came from a friend. The link usually leads to a fake page built to steal your details or install something harmful.
What to do: don’t tap the link. If an offer catches your eye, open the brand’s official app or website yourself and check whether it really exists there.
2. Check the shop before you shop
Fake stores copy real brands: the same logo, the same product photos and prices that are suspiciously low. Look closely at the web address. Swapped letters (“festlvemart” instead of “festivemart”), extra words and odd endings are common giveaways. A padlock icon does not prove a site is genuine, because scammers can get one too.
What to do: type the address yourself or use the official app. Look for reviews outside the site, and be wary of any store that only accepts direct transfers or UPI payments to an individual.
3. Never tap unknown payment links
Payment links arrive by SMS, email and chat: “Your order is on hold. Pay ₹49 to release it.” Tapping one can take you to a fake payment page that captures your card or UPI details.
What to do: pay only inside the official app, or on a website you opened yourself. If a message pushes you to pay right now through a link, pause. Urgency is the scammer’s best tool.
4. Guard your UPI PIN
You never need your UPI PIN to receive money. The PIN is only for sending it. Scammers exploit this by sending a “collect request” or claiming that a refund or cashback is waiting, then asking you to approve it or enter your PIN. That action takes money out of your account.
What to do: read every prompt before you approve it. If it says “pay” or asks for your PIN, money is leaving your account, so decline it. Never share your PIN or OTP with anyone, including someone who says they are from your bank.
5. Be careful with QR codes
The same rule applies to QR codes: scanning one is for paying, not for receiving. A common trick is a “buyer” on a marketplace who sends you a QR code to “send you the money.” Scanning it and entering your PIN pays them instead. Stickers placed over genuine QR codes at shops are another risk.
What to do: never scan a QR code to receive money. Before paying, check that the merchant name shown on your screen matches the shop you are paying.
6. Question every delivery message
With so many parcels on the way, fake courier messages thrive: “Delivery failed. Update your address” or “Pay a small fee to reschedule.” They are designed to look routine.
What to do: track your order in the retailer’s app or on the order page you opened yourself, not through the link in the message.
7. Don’t trust “customer care” numbers from ads or search results
Fake helpline numbers show up in search results and social media ads. The person who answers may sound helpful, then ask for an OTP, a card detail, or for you to install a screen-sharing app so they can “fix” the problem.
What to do: take support numbers only from the brand’s official website or app, or from the back of your card. Never install a remote-access or screen-sharing app at a stranger’s request.
8. Download apps only from official stores
“Festive offer” apps and APK files shared over chat can hide malware that reads your messages, including the OTPs sent by your bank.
What to do: install apps only from the official app store, and check that the publisher is the real brand. Keep your phone and apps updated, and be suspicious of any app that asks for permissions it doesn’t need, such as SMS access or screen overlay.
9. Lock down your accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication
The festive rush means new accounts on new shopping sites. Reused passwords turn one leaked account into many. Your email account matters most, because it can reset almost everything else.
What to do: use a unique password for every account (a password manager makes this easy), turn on two-factor authentication for email, banking and shopping accounts, and switch on transaction alerts. Consider lowering your daily UPI and card limits for the festive season.
10. For businesses: verify before you pay
Festive weeks bring a flood of invoices, bonuses and vendor payments, often with half the team on leave. Attackers take advantage with emails from a “vendor” announcing new bank details, or from a “senior manager” asking for an urgent transfer.
What to do: confirm any change in bank details or unusual payment request by calling a number you already trust, not the one in the email. Require a second person to approve payments, and give your team a quick refresher before the holidays.
A useful five-second check for any email is to look at the sender’s domain, the urgency, the links, the attachments and the offer itself. A fake sender, false urgency, a mismatched link, an unexpected attachment or an offer that is too good to be true are all red flags.
Before you click, pay or share, ask yourself
- Do I know who really sent this?
- Is it rushing me to act?
- Does the link or address match the real brand?
- Is someone asking for my PIN, OTP or password?
If any answer feels wrong, pause, don’t click, and report it.
If you think you have been scammed
- Call your bank straight away and ask them to block the affected card, UPI or account.
- Report it to the National Cyber Crime Helpline on 1930, or at cybercrime.gov.in. The sooner you report, the better the chance of stopping the transfer.
- Change the passwords of any affected accounts and turn on two-factor authentication.
- Keep screenshots, messages and transaction IDs as evidence.
- Tell your family or colleagues, so the same scam doesn’t reach them.
Stay safe this festive season
Scammers rely on speed and excitement. A few seconds of doubt is often all it takes to stop them. Share this guide with someone who shops online, and keep these tips handy through the season.
If you run a business and want help securing your email, your people and your systems, we’re here. Ambisure. Let’s secure it.
[ www.ambisure.com | security@ambisure.com | +91 9820402468 ]