The National CERT of the Republic of Serbia informs and warns citizens that holiday seasons bring more challenges on the Internet, which means a greater prevalence of online fraud. During holidays or periods of promotional offers, such as Black Friday, the number of Internet visits increases, which entails a greater number of phishing scams, fake online stores, or dating platforms, as well as great ads for making quick money on social networks, or travel offers that often sound too good to be true.

An additional challenge is that the list of scams does not end here, so if we become more familiar with the different types of online scams, there is less likelihood of a problematic "quick click" that could lead to financial damage or loss of citizens' personal data.

The National CERT recommends that citizens be cautious with online "dream offers", do not open emails they receive from unknown senders, and do not click on links that may arrive via SMS or ads on social networks, which require the entry of personal and financial data. We advise you to check every holiday offer on the Internet, especially one that looks tempting. You can do this first by checking the domain name of the website, as well as potential reviews or comments from other users of the online platform or an offer that seems interesting. Applying basic cyber hygiene can ensure a higher level of enjoyment in holiday online shopping.