• by Ray Schultz , Columnist, Yesterday

The jolly season is here -- and with it a surge of Christmas-themed spam emails. 

And of those sent from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15, 51% were malicious, according to Bitdefender Antispam Lab researcher Viorel Zavoiu.

The spam messages have included such subject lines as:

• 'Get Set for Christmas – Free Yeti Rambler Tumbler'
• 'Claim Your Free Heavy-Duty Christmas Tree Stand'
• 'Claim Your Free Marriott Luxury Pillows 2-Piece Set'
• 'Hello, Your United Healthcare Oral-B Series 8 Awaits'
• '¡Atención Inmediata Necesaria: Abre para una Oferta Crucial!'

Legitimate emailers must contend with increased consumer suspicion and inbox distractions. 

It’s a global phenomenon. The top Christmas spam destinations are:

• United States – 47%
• India – 14%
• Ireland – 13%
• Germany – 11%
• United Kingdom – 6%
• Italy – 1%
• France – 1%
• Australia – 1%
• South Africa – 1%
• Romania – 1%
• The Netherlands – 1%
• Canada – 1%

And the top sources? They are: 

• United States – 35%
• The Netherlands – 12%
• The UK – 6%
• Italy – 6%
• France – 5%
• China – 5%
• Germany – 4%

This reflects an “increasingly international spam ecosystem fueled by botnets, hijacked servers, and abused email platforms,” Zavoiu writes. 

This year’s holiday ripoffs are dominated by giveaway and survey reward scams. 

"The concept is simple and very effective: pair a trusted brand with a high-value free item, add a festive design, and tell recipients they only need to complete a short survey or confirm their details to receive the gift," Zavoiu adds.