- FBI warns attackers can steal credentials through phishing tricks and quickly take over financial accounts
- Holiday-themed domains lure users into scams designed to capture sensitive information
- Mobile phishing campaigns use trusted names to trigger clicks and downloads
The FBI has reported cybercriminals have stolen more than $262 million from US targets through account takeover schemes in 2025 so far, with individuals, businesses, and organizations across multiple sectors all targeted.
Over 5,100 complaints related to these incidents have been received by the FBI, typically involving criminals gaining unauthorized access to financial accounts, payroll systems, or health savings accounts.
Social engineering techniques such as phishing emails, fraudulent calls, and texts are commonly used to manipulate victims into revealing login details, and once access is obtained, attackers can reset passwords, take control of accounts, and wire funds to accounts they control, often converting the money into cryptocurrency to obscure the trail.
AI-enhanced phishing and holiday scams
“A cybercriminal manipulates the account owner into giving away their login credentials, including multi-factor authentication (MFA) code or One-Time Passcode (OTP), by impersonating a financial institution employee, customer support, or technical support personnel,” the FBI said.
“The cybercriminal then uses login credentials to log into the legitimate financial institution website and initiate a password reset, ultimately gaining full control of the accounts.”
Cybersecurity companies have reported the rising use of AI to create convincing phishing campaigns, fake websites, and social media ads, with Fortinet FortiGuard Labs reporting detecting over 750 malicious, holiday-themed domains in recent months, with campaigns often targeting users with urgency-driven messages tied to events like Black Friday or Christmas, increasing the likelihood of credential theft.
Low-skill attackers can now deploy highly persuasive scams that mimic popular brands such as Amazon and Temu.
“By openly sharing information like a pet’s name, schools you have attended, your date of birth, or information about your family members, you may give scammers the information they need to guess your password or answer your security questions,” the FBI said.
Mobile phishing has also increased, with attackers exploiting trusted brand names to trick users into clicking links or downloading malicious updates.
Purchase scams are emerging as a significant threat, with fake e-commerce stores capturing victim payment data and authorising fraudulent transactions for goods that do not exist.
Threat actors continue to exploit vulnerabilities in common platforms, including Adobe, Oracle E-Business Suite, WooCommerce, and Magento.
Some attacks involve multi-stage funnels that use traffic distribution systems to determine the most vulnerable targets before redirecting them to final scam sites.
These operations allow immediate financial gain because victims themselves authorize the payments, with certain campaigns even attempt sequential fraudulent transactions to maximize stolen card value.
Cybercriminals often advertise stolen payment cards on dark web marketplaces, funding further campaigns that compromise additional accounts.
The FBI has issued some recommendations for the public to stay safe from these attacks:
How to stay safe
- Limit personal information shared online
- Monitor financial accounts for unusual activity
- Use unique, complex passwords for all accounts
- Verify URLs before logging into websites
- Be cautious of unsolicited messages or calls claiming to be from financial institutions
- Deploy antivirus software to protect devices from malware
- Enable firewalls to block unauthorized access
- Use identity theft protection to monitor personal information
- Recognize that sophisticated phishing campaigns and AI-driven attacks still pose risks
- Effectiveness depends on consistent implementation across devices and networks
Via The Hacker News
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