Why Phishing Attacks Spike In August

You might be getting back from vacation with a tan and some extra luggage, but guess what? Hackers don’t take vacations. In fact, cybercriminals love summer, especially August—and they’re sending out more phishing emails than ever.

Why? Because summer + travel + distracted people = prime time for scams.

So, What’s With the Summer Surge?

Cyber crooks are clever. Check Point Research says they’re pretending to be hotels, Airbnb, and travel sites to trick people planning vacations. In May 2025 alone, cyber experts found over 39,000 vacation-related websites popped up—and 1 out of every 21 looked shady or downright dangerous.

And it’s not just travel. August also means back-to-school season, and phishers are sending fake university emails to students and staff. Even if your business has nothing to do with schools, employees checking personal email on work computers can still let a hacker sneak in the digital back door.

It only takes one click on the wrong link to let the bad guys into your business’s data.

How to Stay Safe (Without Turning Into a Paranoid Robot)

AI has made cybersecurity stronger, but here’s the twist—it’s also making scam emails smarter and harder to spot. That’s why you and your team need to be alert. Here’s how:

• Look beyond typos. AI can write emails just as well as you can, so scammers don’t always mess up grammar anymore. Always check the sender’s email address and where the links actually go.
• Watch the URLs. Weird endings like .today or .info can be a red flag. Stick with .com, .org, or websites you trust.
• Don’t click—search. Instead of clicking links in emails, Google the website yourself and go straight there.
• Turn on MFA. That’s the two-step check when you log in. Even if hackers steal a password, they still can’t get in without that second step.
• Be smart about WiFi. Public WiFi is convenient, but it’s also hacker heaven. Use a VPN if you need to log into anything important.
• Keep personal email off work devices. Mixing personal and work stuff on the same device is like using your toothbrush to clean the toilet. Just... don’t.
• Ask your IT team about EDR. That’s software that watches your devices for weird stuff, blocks bad downloads, and lets your tech pros know if anything sketchy is going on.

The Bottom Line

Phishing scams are getting sneakier, and AI is helping scammers sound more legit than ever. The best defense? Keep your team in the know and stay one step ahead.

Start the season smart—book your FREE Cybersecurity Assessment today.