The phrases ‘bonus points’ and ‘flash sale’ are commonly used year-round but were especially common this month. Scammers often use these terms to create urgency and pressure individuals into clicking fraudulent links. If you receive an unsolicited SMS with these words, stay alert—it’s likely a scam. Delete it immediately.

We’ve also seen the word ‘Liquidation sale’ recently surge in scam activity, with cybercriminals exploiting public excitement. In Lincraft’s case, the ‘liquidation sale’ was misleading but legitimate—yet scammers took advantage of the confusion. If you receive any high-pressure sales messages, don’t engage—delete them immediately.

It’s no surprise that Total Tools is now being impersonated following the cyber incident they experienced in September last year. The breach exposed names, email addresses, passwords, mobile numbers, and shipping addresses, making it highly likely that affected customers are now being targeted by SMS scams. These scams attempt to deceive customers into making purchases under the guise of earning bonus points— a tactic commonly used in legitimate Total Tools promotions. We expect similar scams to increase in frequency over the coming months and into next year.

Think you’ve been part of the data breach? Check out more details here.

A newer version of the PayPal scam has surfaced, targeting users with fraudulent text messages that appear to come from PayPal’s official number, alerting them to fake Bitcoin transactions. The messages often direct users to call a fake support number, aiming to steal sensitive information like credit card details. Scammers can spoof legitimate PayPal numbers, making it hard for consumers to identify the fraud. To stay safe, avoid calling suspicious numbers or clicking on links in any messages. PayPal will never ask for sensitive information via text or phone.