The experts in cyber security warn in the next couple of weeks could see a flood of scams swarming people's inboxes since scammers will use the time of year to capitalize on the huge volume of online shopping and possible deals, reports Metro.

This is why it's crucial for users of email to be more vigilant over the next weeks, with more opportunities than ever before to get phishing email or fake deals. Often, this will result in the theft of personal data or malware that grants fraudsters access to other people's devices.

"With an additional 10, million cyber-attacks anticipated on Christmas Day and New Year's Day it's never more vital to keep a skeptical eye over any festive deals or unexpected orders and delivery announcements," said Vonny Gamot Director of EMEA at McAfee.

"Even even if an email or text seems legitimate, it's always best to directly go to the source, whether it's an online retailer or delivery provider."

How to protect against Phishing scams

Online deals that are fake are frequent threats to watch out for and if an offer appears too good to be true, be cautious. A good tip if you've received an offer from a specific business, head straight to the retailer using an online search engine to see if you can find the identical deal. If not you might have stumbled across a fake website.

Other common scams include fake delivery notices. Keep a careful track of the delivery date and time and remember that you shouldn't ever think of paying to book another delivery slot from reputable couriers, so be cautious of entering your payment details should you be asked for them in this manner.

"Many scams are effective because the scammer creates false sensation of urgency or plays on a heightened emotional state," continued Ms Gamot. "Pause before you rush to take action on any message you think appears urgent or threatening particularly if it comes from an unknown or unlikely sender."