Holiday Cyber Scams: Social Engineering Peaks During Halloween and Diwali

The holiday season brings more than just celebrations and family gatherings—it ushers in a golden era for cybercriminals specializing in social engineering attacks. Recent campaigns targeting Halloween and Diwali celebrations reveal sophisticated multi-vector approaches that exploit seasonal excitement and cultural traditions to bypass security awareness.

Seasonal Social Engineering: A Growing Threat Landscape

Security teams worldwide are reporting increased attack volumes during major holidays, with threat actors developing culturally relevant lures that resonate deeply with target populations. During Halloween 2025, cybersecurity researchers observed a dramatic rise in attacks combining irresistible clickbait with advanced deepfake technology. These campaigns typically begin with themed promotional offers—discounted costumes, party supplies, or exclusive event access—that lead victims through carefully constructed attack chains.

The technical sophistication of these attacks has evolved significantly. Deepfake technology, once primarily used for celebrity impersonations, now enables convincing fake customer service representatives and fraudulent video messages from seemingly legitimate sources. Attackers combine these visual elements with psychological triggers tied to holiday urgency—limited-time offers, exclusive deals, and fear of missing out on seasonal experiences.

Diwali Subsidy Scams: Exploiting Cultural Traditions

Simultaneously, during Diwali celebrations in India, authorities identified widespread campaigns impersonating India Post to distribute fake subsidy links. These attacks prey on cultural expectations around government subsidies and festival bonuses, creating a perfect storm of credibility and urgency. The scams typically arrive via SMS or messaging apps, directing recipients to sophisticated phishing portals that mimic official government platforms.

What makes these attacks particularly effective is their timing and cultural relevance. During Diwali, many legitimate government subsidies and corporate bonuses are distributed, making fraudulent offers appear plausible. The attacks leverage this context to bypass skepticism, with threat actors investing significant resources in creating authentic-looking communication channels and verification processes.

European Retail Threats: The Decathlon Case Study

In Spain, the Mossos d'Esquadra recently issued formal warnings about sophisticated Decathlon-themed scams targeting holiday shoppers. These attacks combine fake promotional campaigns with social engineering tactics, creating a sense of urgency around limited-time holiday offers. Victims are directed to fraudulent websites that capture payment information and personal data, often through fake loyalty programs or exclusive holiday discounts.

The technical execution of these campaigns demonstrates advanced operational security measures. Attackers use domain names closely resembling legitimate retail sites, implement SSL certificates to appear trustworthy, and create comprehensive fake customer service infrastructure to handle victim inquiries and maintain the illusion of legitimacy.

Psychological Manipulation Techniques

Holiday-themed social engineering attacks share common psychological manipulation patterns. Threat actors exploit:

• Emotional Highs: The excitement and positive emotions associated with holidays lower critical thinking barriers
• Cultural Expectations: Traditional gift-giving and bonus distributions create ripe environments for fraudulent offers
• Time Pressure: Limited-time holiday offers create urgency that overrides normal security precautions
• Social Proof: Fake reviews and social media engagement make fraudulent offers appear legitimate
• Authority Exploitation: Impersonation of trusted brands and government entities enhances credibility

Defense Strategies for Security Teams

Organizations must implement specialized security measures during holiday periods. Key recommendations include:

Enhanced Employee Awareness Training: Conduct targeted training sessions before major holidays, focusing on seasonal threat patterns and verification protocols.

Multi-factor Authentication Enforcement: Strengthen authentication requirements during high-risk periods, particularly for financial transactions and sensitive data access.

Real-time Threat Intelligence: Subscribe to industry-specific threat intelligence feeds that monitor seasonal attack trends and emerging campaigns.

Customer Education Campaigns: Proactively warn customers about potential holiday scams through official communication channels.

Incident Response Readiness: Ensure security teams are prepared for increased incident volume during holiday periods with appropriate staffing and escalation procedures.

The evolution of holiday-themed social engineering represents a significant challenge for cybersecurity professionals. As threat actors continue to refine their techniques and leverage cultural insights, organizations must develop equally sophisticated defense strategies that account for seasonal variations in human psychology and behavior patterns.