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The 2017 Fraudster Wish List Is Produced by
www.forter.com
Do you know their favorite merchandise to steal?
Fraudsters get bold this time of year: They stuff their stockings with your hard-earned revenue by pretending to be real, paying customers.
The Forter Fraudster Wish List
The 2017 Fraudster Wish List is produced by
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Not quite. That would make the ring a flashy purchase, and fraudsters know that the priciest picks usually get extra attention from anti-fraud solutions.
NEXT question
Yes! This season fraudsters are going after rings with a 0.8 carat diamond or other precious stone. These rings are pricey enough to resell for a good profit but are not so flashy as to make retailers suspicious.
tRY aGAiN
Not quite. That’s a little too modest for a typical fraudster. Remember: Fraudsters always have their eye on their personal bottom line.
Start!
Ready to think like a fraudster?
Every year, online criminals try to steal different items during the holidays. Can you work out what's popular this year and why? Take the quiz to find out.
Welcome to the 2017 Fraudster Wish List Quiz, from Forter.
1.5-carat
0.8-carat
Diamonds are a fraudster's best friend. Can you guess what carat they target most often?
0.5-carat
Jewelry is a top fraudster pick this time of year because high-end gifts can be resold easily. Diamond rings (and rings with other precious gems) are an especially popular target.
1 Sparkling, High-End New Ring
On the first day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
01
Fraudsters almost never buy tickets for themselves. More than 50% of airline fraud is committed by “fraudulent travel agencies” that criminals use to sell tickets to unsuspecting tourists.
false
true
True or False: When fraudsters buy airline tickets, they buy first or business class.
Sunny holiday destinations (like Hawaii) are often on the fraudster wish list this time of year. Why? Unsuspecting vacation seekers are using airlines, car rentals—and their credit cards—to escape the cold winter months.
2 Tickets to Hawaii
On the SECOND day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
02
Not quite. While fraudsters are a lot more likely to steal Macs to sell them to an unsuspecting buyer than they are to use them, 49% is still too high.
Right! Roughly 13% of fraudsters use Macs when stealing online.
Not quite. While fraudsters are a lot more likely to steal Macs to sell them to an unsuspecting buyer than they are to use them, 2% is still too low.
49%
13%
2%
What percentage of fraudsters use Macs?
MacBooks and Apple accessories are popular gifts during the holiday season. As a result, criminals know they're bound to find a market for the items they steal.
3 MacBooks That Were Pricey
On the third day of Christmas my fraudster stole FROM me...
03
1.5 karat
0.8 karat
0.5 karat
If diamonds are a fraudster’s best friend, what size was the top preference for fraudsters over the holidays in 2017?
That's certainly one option! However, Hennessy Cognac is a fraudster favorite this year. It seems to be the ideal balance between value and raising suspicion. Fraudsters will steal anything when there is an open market for resale.
Yes! Hennessy Cognac is a fraudster favorite this year. It seems to be the ideal balance between value and raising suspicion. Fraudsters will steal anything when there is an open market for resale.
While tequila is definitely an option, Hennessy Cognac is a fraudster favorite this year. It seems to be the ideal balance between value and raising suspicion. Fraudsters will steal anything when there is an open market for resale.
Casa Noble Tequila
Hennessy Cognac
Dom Perignon Champagne
Which of the following brands would be served at a fraudster holiday party?
Fraudsters aren't targeting individual shots of liquor, of course. What they're actually doing is stealing whole bottles. During the holiday season, alcohol theft is a fast way for online criminals to turn a great profit.
4 Shots of Vintage Whisky
On the fourth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
04
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Get the full Forter Fraudster Wish List ebook
Want to find out more about what fraudsters are buying this holiday season?
It actually depends on when you're calculating this percentage. Throughout the year, roughly 7% of attacks are committed by fraudsters under the age of 21. This rises to 20% during vacation times like spring break. Teen fraudsters tend to target hot electronics, games, food, and bling.
20%
7%
What percentage of US-based fraud attacks are performed by fraudsters under 21?
You'd never guess it, but fraudsters love stealing lamination machines this time of year. Their reasoning: With these devices, they can make real-looking IDs—which can then be used in a wide range of criminal activities.
5 Fake (Convincing!) IDs
on the fifth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
05
The puffer jacket trend is particularly noteworthy this season given criminals are buying them in bulk—up to 10 jackets in a single purchase.
10 jackets
3 jackets
1 Jacket
How many jackets does the average fraudster steal in one order?
Leather jackets reigned supreme for three years, but now puffer jackets are in style. Fraudsters are hastening to take advantage of this trend by stealing and then re-selling this merchandise themselves.
6 Jackets (One That's Paisley)
On the sixth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
06
It's actually Rolex (not Armani) that's the fraudster favorite this year. But criminals' tastes have gotten no less expensive: The second-, third-, and fourth-most stolen watches are Michael Kors, Gucci, and Citizen, respectively.
7 Watches From Armani
On the seventh day of Christmas my fraudster stole form me...
Not quite. Women's watches are actually 21% more popular than men’s watches this year. This shows fraudsters have either found or created a reliable market for women's watches.
True or False? During the 2017 holidays, fraudsters prefer women’s watches?
07
Yes! Women's watches are 21% more popular than men’s watches this year. This indicates that fraudsters have found or created a reliable market for women’s watches.
men's
women's
Do fraudsters prefer men's or women's watches?
On the seventh day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
Correct! $5 can go a long way within a digital goods marketplace. Social likes cost about the same regardless of the site. $5 can actually buy you up to 1,000 likes on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (not to mention YouTube!).
1,000 likes on Twitter
400 likes on Instagram
200 likes on Facebook
Can you put yourself in the mind of an e-commerce criminal? Complete this sentence: “If I could spend only $5 on stolen goods, I would buy ____.”
Buying social media attention is valuable for fraudsters because it's a step toward successful theft. Shares and likes build reputation online, which helps fraudsters promote their fake websites or scams.
8(00) Likes, Shares, and Tweets
On the eighth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
08
Correct! In fact, all of the answers here are valid and consistent with holiday statistics. iTunes gift cards top the list this year, but fraudsters are targeting a wide range of gift card retailers, including GameStop, Amazon, and Victoria’s Secret.
$20 on GameStop
$100 on Victoria’s Secret
$100 on Amazon
$50 on iTunes
Of the following gift cards, can you guess which one a fraudster is most likely to target?
Gift cards are popular with fraudsters all year long, but their popularity peaks during the holidays when many genuine shoppers are buying them too. Fraudsters can hide in this increased traffic to steal gift cards, which are essentially free money.
9 Gift Cards for a Shopping Spree
On the ninth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
09
Not quite. In fact, the norm is about 10 bottles. This year fraudsters are buying perfume and body wash in bulk. Oddly enough, alcohol-themed fragrances are especially popular. Rum body wash, anyone?
Correct! This year fraudsters are buying perfume and body wash in bulk. Oddly enough, alcohol-themed fragrances are especially popular. Rum body wash, anyone?
10-15
3-5
1-2
How many bottles of perfume will a fraudster typically steal in a single transaction?
Perfume and other beauty products rise on fraudsters’ wish lists during the holidays. They're natural resale targets because customers who are looking for bargains will gladly purchase an item for a discounted price (from someone they don't know is a fraudster).
10 Goods for Health & Beauty
On the tenth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
10
Not quite. Open-toed heels with gold shimmer are favorites this holiday season. Of all shoe models, gold-colored shoes are 14% more popular with fraudsters. All that glitters may not be gold—but is definitely more attractive to online criminals!
Correct! Open-toed heels with gold shimmer are favorites this holiday season. Of all shoe models, gold-colored shoes are 14% more popular with fraudsters. All that glitters may not be gold—but is definitely more attractive to online criminals!
Red
gold
black
White
Can you walk a mile in a fraudster's shoes? Which color high heels would you pick if you were an online criminal?
Shoes are always in high demand during the festive season, being purchased 2.5 times more often.
11 Shoes From Under My Tree
On the eleventh day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
11
Finished!
Cell phone covers and similar items have evergreen appeal. While these items do make great holiday gifts, consumers buy them all the time. Fraudsters do like to stock up during the holidays, though, so they can continue selling them year-round.
True or False: Fraudsters mainly target cell phones accessories during the holiday season.
True or False: Fraudsters only target cell phone covers during the holiday season.
Cell phone covers and other related accessories are one of the most persistent categories on fraudster wish lists. Over the last four years, they have always ranked in the top ten.
12 Cell Phone Accessories
On the twelfth day of Christmas my fraudster stole from me...
12
Download Forter's Fraudster Wish List ebook!
Happy Fraud-Free Holidays!
You're starting to see how criminals think—and that's the first step to stopping them. Now that you're clued up, want to get the details?
