November 03, 2025
Last December, a midsize company's accounts payable clerk was duped by a fake urgent text, supposedly from her CEO, instructing her to buy $3,000 worth of Apple gift cards for clients, scratch off the codes, and email them across. Despite her doubts, the busy holiday season made the message seem authentic. By the time the scam was uncovered, the money had already vanished, leaving the company with a costly loss.
This incident is just the tip of the iceberg. In the same month, Orion S.A., a Luxembourg-based chemical manufacturer, endured a far more damaging cyberattack. An employee received emails posing as trusted colleagues, requesting urgent wire transfers. The messages looked authentic and matched typical company activities—leading to multiple transfers being processed without question.
The result was catastrophic: $60 million disappeared into the hands of cybercriminals—more than half of Orion's annual profits lost due to fraudulent wire transfers.
Many Mac-based small businesses wrongly assume they are safe from such attacks. However, gift card scams cost businesses over $217 million in 2023 alone, and by 2024, 73% of cyber incidents involved business email compromise. The hectic holiday season, filled with distractions and increased transactions, offers cybercriminals the perfect opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities.
Top 5 Holiday Scams Your Mac Team Must Identify to Avoid Costly Mistakes
1. The "Urgent Gift Card Request" Scam
- How it works: Fraudsters impersonate executives, pestering employees to buy gift cards for clients or incentives. This scam accounted for nearly 38% of business email compromise cases early in 2024.
- How to prevent it: Enforce a strict policy requiring two separate approvals for any gift card purchase, and train staff that executives will never request gift cards via email or text.
2. Fake Invoice and Payment Detail Changes
- The method: Cybercriminals send emails with counterfeit bank details or intercept vendor communications as year-end bills approach. For instance, Arlington, MA, lost nearly $500,000 to this scam in June 2024.
- How to safeguard: Always verify new banking information by calling known contacts—not numbers given in emails—and institute a "call verification" rule for financial changes above $5,000.
3. Fraudulent Shipping Notifications
- The scheme: Phishing emails or texts impersonate UPS, FedEx, or USPS, urging recipients to "reschedule delivery" via dangerous links.
- How to protect your team: Train employees to access carrier sites directly by typing URLs or using bookmarks instead of clicking suspicious links.
4. Malicious Holiday Event Invitations
- The risk: Emails with attachments like "Holiday_Schedule.pdf" or "Party_List.xls" that activate malware when opened.
- Preventive actions: Disable macros, scan all attachments before opening, and encourage verifying unexpected files carefully.
5. Fake Holiday Fundraising Schemes
- How it works: Scammers set up counterfeit charity websites or pretend there's a company donation match program to steal money or sensitive data.
- How to counter: Share a verified list of charities with your team and direct all donations through secured official portals.
Why These Scams Succeed and How to Protect Your Mac-Based Business
While digital tools and online payments simplify operations, they also create vulnerabilities. These attacks combine sophisticated social engineering with in-depth research on your company.
Organizations that conduct regular phishing drills reduce risks by up to 60%, but many small Mac businesses neglect employee cyber training. Activating multifactor authentication blocks 99% of unauthorized logins, yet many still rely solely on passwords.
Your Mac Business Holiday Cybersecurity Checklist
Prepare your Mac-focused team with these essential actions before the holiday rush:
- Dual Verification: Require a verbal approval via a separate communication channel for transactions over your threshold.
- Gift Card Policy: Create and enforce a strict policy banning gift card purchases through texts or email.
- Confirm Vendor Payments: Always verify any banking or payment detail changes over the phone using known contact numbers.
- Enable MFA: Turn on multifactor authentication for all emails, banking, and cloud accounts.
- Scam Awareness Training: Inform your team about these five common holiday scams with real-world examples.
The Wider Impact Beyond Money Lost
Although Orion's huge $60 million loss made headlines, smaller businesses often struggle with hidden consequences such as:
- Interruptions during critical sales periods that disrupt operations.
- Diminished productivity as staff addresses the breach.
- Damage to customer confidence if sensitive information is leaked.
- Higher insurance premiums following a cyberattack.
On average, business email compromises cost small businesses $129,000—a potentially devastating blow, especially during busy holiday seasons.
Make Your Holidays Safe and Successful with Smart Cybersecurity
Achieving a joyful holiday season starts with thorough preparation: ongoing team training, clear policies, and robust security layers build a resilient defense. A single verification call, missed by Orion, can save millions.
Empower your Mac-based business with vigilance and swift checks to avoid falling prey to cybercriminals this holiday season.
Ready to protect your team before the New Year? Click here or call us at 877-622-7911 to book a 15-Minute Discovery Call. We'll provide you with practical, effective steps to keep your Mac business secure—ensuring your holidays celebrate growth, not cybercrime.
