7th August 2025: The festive season brings a welcome surge in sales for small businesses, but it also creates an opportunity for cyber fraud. According to the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) and the Data Security Council of India (DSCI), 74% SMEs faced at least one cyber incident last year. With teams stretched and order volumes high, scammers exploit the festive rush through fake payments, phishing links, and urgent delivery scams.
How Scammers Target Small Businesses During the Festive Season
• Pose as buyers and send forged payment receipts to get goods shipped without payment
• Impersonate suppliers in emails to request fake bank account updates
• Send fake delivery messages or make calls to gain system access
• Disguise malicious Quick Response (QR) codes or One Time Password (OTP) prompts as festive greetings
• Pretend to be large companies and pressure quick turnaround on fake orders
Tips to Stay Scam-Smart: Ruko, Socho, Action Lo!
• Confirm UPI or bank transfers in your account before dispatching goods
• Verify any bank detail change with a trusted contact
• Train staff to spot red flags like unknown links, QR codes, or urgent messages
• Use multi-factor authentication and limit access to key business systems
• Set up a simple system for employees to report and log suspicious activity
Final Word
In today’s digital-first world, even a brief oversight, like clicking a fake link or rushing through a payment can lead to serious consequences. For small businesses, staying alert and building basic cyber hygiene into daily operations is essential to protect customers, revenue, and reputation.