The holiday season brings joy, celebration, and—inevitably—a surge in online spending. With constant shopping, travel bookings, and “Save card for faster checkout?” prompts everywhere, December also becomes one of the busiest months for cybercriminals looking to steal payment information.

A few simple habits can go a long way toward keeping your accounts secure and your holidays stress-free.

Why Your Card Information Is at Higher Risk in December

• More transactions = more exposure. Increased shopping means entering your card information into more websites, apps, and payment portals.
• Holiday-themed scams surge. Fake shipping notices, fraudulent donation requests, and “you’ve received a gift” scams become more frequent.
• Card-on-file storage increases. When we’re rushed, we tend to save our card information more often than usual.
• More public Wi-Fi usage. Travel and holiday errands often lead to connections on unsecured networks.

Cybercriminals know people are distracted during the holidays—which makes vigilance even more important.

Simple Ways to Protect Your Card Information

1. Shop with trusted retailers. Stick to reputable merchants and be wary of deals that seem “too good to be true.”
2. Avoid saving your card unnecessarily. While convenient, fewer stored cards mean fewer places your data can be stolen from.
3. Skip purchases on public Wi-Fi. Save sensitive transactions for a secure home or mobile network, or use a VPN.
4. Be alert to phishing. Holiday-themed emails are often designed to trick you. When in doubt, go directly to the retailer’s website instead of clicking email links.
5. Keep devices updated. Security updates often include important protections for online transactions.
6. Enable transaction alerts. Real-time notifications help you spot unauthorized activity quickly.
7. Use your credit card app. Many apps allow you to lock or freeze your card instantly if something seems suspicious.
8. Review statements weekly. A quick check can help you catch fraudulent charges early.
9. Use only trusted devices. Avoid entering card information on shared or unfamiliar devices that could contain malware or keystroke recorders.

Wishing You a Safe and Joyful Holiday Season

Staying mindful of where and how you use your card will help ensure your holidays remain secure, cheerful, and scam-free.

Looking Ahead

Cyber risks don’t end when the holidays do. If your organization is evaluating how payment data, internal controls, or security practices hold up under increased transaction volume and evolving threats, our team can help assess risk and strengthen safeguards.

👉 Talk with an Asurity expert about protecting sensitive data year-round.