Before everyone heads home for Thanksgiving, make sure your business isn’t leaving the door open to cybersecurity problems.
Thanksgiving week is almost here. Employees are wrapping up projects, offices are adjusting schedules, and everyone is looking forward to spending time with family and friends.
And with Black Friday just around the corner, holiday shopping is already in full swing.
Between online orders, delivery notifications, special offers, and last-minute purchases, our inboxes are about to get a lot busier.
Unfortunately, scammers know that, too.
An unexpected delivery notification, a suspicious payment request, or an employee account that should have been disabled can create problems when fewer people are available to respond.
The good news? Protecting your business doesn’t have to be complicated.
Here are five cybersecurity checks worth making before Thanksgiving.
Don’t Let Holiday Shopping and Delivery Scams Catch You Off Guard
Thanksgiving marks the beginning of one of the busiest shopping periods of the year.
Between Black Friday sales, online orders, shipping updates, and delivery notifications, inboxes can fill up quickly.
Scammers know this.
A message might claim that a package couldn’t be delivered, an order needs immediate attention, or a payment must be updated.
Some messages look remarkably similar to those from legitimate retailers and delivery companies.
A few reminders can help employees avoid trouble:
- Be cautious with unexpected delivery notifications.
- Visit the retailer’s or delivery company’s website directly rather than clicking unfamiliar links.
- Don’t enter company credentials into a website opened from an unexpected message.
- Report suspicious messages instead of responding to them.
Even when an email appears legitimate, taking a moment to verify it can prevent a costly mistake.
Something to consider: Would your employees recognize a suspicious holiday delivery message before clicking?
Double-Check Unusual Payment Requests
Of all the holiday scams businesses should watch for, payment fraud deserves particular attention.
Imagine receiving an email from a familiar vendor requesting that an invoice be paid to a different bank account.
The message looks legitimate. It includes the correct company name, invoice details, and perhaps even a familiar email signature.
There’s just one problem.
The request didn’t come from your vendor.
Scammers sometimes impersonate vendors, executives, or other trusted contacts to convince employees to send money or change payment instructions.
Holiday schedules can make these situations especially challenging. Employees may feel pressured to complete transactions before leaving, while the person who normally verifies payments is unavailable.
One simple safeguard can make a significant difference:
Never change payment instructions or send an unexpected payment without independently verifying the request.
Call the vendor or individual using a trusted phone number already on file. Don’t rely on the phone number included in the suspicious message.
For businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and professional organizations across the Carolinas, this is a practical step that can help prevent financial losses.
Something to consider: If someone sent an urgent payment request that appeared to come from your leadership team, would your employees know how to verify it?
Check Who Still Has Access to Your Business Information
Here’s a question worth asking: Does anyone who no longer works for your organization still have access to company email, files, or applications?
What about temporary employees, former contractors, or vendors who no longer need access?
Accounts that are no longer needed can create unnecessary security risks.
Before the holiday, take a few minutes to confirm that:
- Former employees’ accounts have been disabled.
- Employees have access only to the information they need.
- Multifactor authentication is enabled wherever possible.
- Shared accounts and unnecessary permissions have been reviewed.
You don’t need to understand every technical detail. Your IT provider should be able to help confirm that the right people have the right access.
Something to consider: If someone shouldn’t have access to your business information today, are you certain they don’t?
Make Sure Your Backups Are Ready When You Need Them
Nobody wants to return from Thanksgiving to discover that important files have disappeared.
Unfortunately, computers fail, files get deleted, and cybersecurity incidents can happen at any time.
That’s why reliable backups matter.
But having a backup isn’t the same as knowing you can recover your information.
Before the holiday, confirm that backups are completing successfully and that any failures have been addressed.
More importantly, make sure your organization has tested its ability to restore important information.
A successful backup report is reassuring. A successful recovery test provides much stronger evidence that your information can be restored.
Something to consider: If your organization lost access to its most important files tomorrow, how quickly could you get back to business?
Know Who to Contact if Something Goes Wrong
Imagine it’s Thanksgiving afternoon, and an employee discovers something suspicious happening with a company account.
Who should they call?
Would they know how to report it? Would someone be available to respond?
This is especially important for organizations that handle sensitive information, financial transactions, or essential community services.
Before closing for the holiday, confirm that employees know how to report urgent technology and cybersecurity concerns.
Make sure emergency contact information is current and that someone has the authority to make decisions if a serious issue occurs.
Having proactive IT support and a clear response process can help organizations address problems before they become larger disruptions.
Something to consider: If a cybersecurity incident happened while your office was closed, would your employees know exactly what to do?
Five Checks. A Little Peace of Mind.
Thanksgiving preparation doesn’t need to turn into a major technology project.
Start with these five areas:
- Holiday scams: Remind employees to be cautious with unexpected shopping and delivery messages.
- Payment requests: Independently verify unusual financial instructions.
- Employee access: Make sure only authorized people can access your systems.
- Backups: Confirm that important information is protected and recoverable.
- Emergency contacts: Know who to call and what to do if something goes wrong.
These steps won’t eliminate every cybersecurity risk, but they can help your organization avoid preventable problems.
And that’s one less thing to worry about while enjoying the holiday.
A Little Preparation Makes the Holiday More Enjoyable
The holidays are busy enough without worrying about what might happen back at the office.
Taking a little time to review these five areas can help protect the people, information, and operations your organization depends on.
And if you’re not quite sure where things stand, that’s okay. Sometimes a conversation with your IT provider or a simple Visibility & Risk Assessment can help identify something worth addressing.
At SpartanTec, we’re grateful for the businesses, nonprofits, schools, and communities throughout the Carolinas that allow us to be part of their team.
We know how much you depend on your technology, but we also know that what matters most is having the time and peace of mind to enjoy the people around you.
From our SpartanTec family to yours, we wish you a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with good food, good company, and a little well-deserved downtime.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Frequently Asked Questions
What cybersecurity checks should businesses complete before Thanksgiving?
Businesses should remind employees about holiday scams, independently verify unusual payment requests, review employee account access, verify backups, and confirm emergency contacts.
Why can holiday closures increase cybersecurity risks?
Reduced staffing, unfamiliar schedules, and pressure to finish work can make suspicious activity harder to recognize and respond to promptly. Scammers may take advantage of these changes.
How can a business prevent holiday payment fraud?
Require employees to independently verify unexpected payment requests or changes to banking instructions using a trusted contact method. Establish clear approval procedures before money is transferred.
Are small businesses at risk from holiday cybersecurity scams?
Yes. Businesses of all sizes can receive fraudulent emails, delivery notifications, and payment requests. Basic security practices and employee awareness help reduce those risks.
