Keep yourself safe this Black Friday: expert tips to avoid scams

During the Black Friday deals, our inboxes are flooded with a surge of emails from retailers, enticing us to part with our cash – however, this gives fraudsters a way in.

“Black Friday gives scammers the ideal opportunity to use tactics such as phishing emails, text messages or impersonating websites to advertise fake deals and ultimately steal your personal information,” says Liz Hunter, Director at Money Expert.

One favourite trick of scammers is to send out text messages claiming to be a representative of the brand you’ve recently bought from.

“Such texts request information or claim a refund is due and usually contain links,” says Guy Bauman, Co-Founder and CMO of security app Ironvest. “Never engage with these types of messages. Instead, log in to your account to review if there are any issues with your recent orders.”

If you do suspect you’ve received a fraudulent email or text, block the user and delete the message. You might also be able to report it.

“Some email providers do enable you to report spam or phishing, which is always worth considering, as it can help stop scammers in their tracks,” advises Hunter.

You can tell if a website is secure by looking for the padlock icon next to the URL in your browser’s address bar. The lock icon indicates that the website is using an SSL certificate. When you see the lock icon, you can be sure that your connection to the website is secure. It still doesn’t mean that the website is reputable or legitimate, but it does mean the connection is.

As with emails and text messages, beware of websites with poor design or grammar errors. Legitimate businesses typically invest in professional-looking websites. If a website looks like it was thrown together in a hurry, or if it has a lot of grammar and spelling errors, it’s possible that it’s a scam website.

If you’re still unsure whether a website is secure, it’s always best to err on the side of caution and avoid it. There are plenty of other websites out there that you can use without putting your security at risk.

The safest way to shop online – or even in store – is by using a credit card. This is because, unlike debit cards, they are protected by Section 75 of consumer credit law. Basically, if you buy something with your credit card and it’s faulty, broken, or never arrives, you have the right to claim the costs back through your credit card provider. It also covers you if the company goes bust.

Using a credit card is also less risky if your details are stolen. As it’s not linked to your bank account, you won’t have to worry about further fraudulent activity on the money in your account.

If you’ve only got a debit card, you may be able to apply for chargeback, a voluntary scheme, which enables you to dispute a card transaction and request your money back for something you’ve paid for.  There’s no guarantee you’ll get the money back though.

It’s so tempting to reuse the same password for multiple accounts, but it’s a risky habit. If one account is hacked, attackers could gain access to all of your accounts.

The best way to protect your accounts is to use a unique, strong password for each one. You should also change your passwords regularly, especially if there is a data breach at a company where you have an account.

Passwords don’t need to be complex. In fact, a three-word passphrase is just as secure as a longer password with a mix of upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Just choose three random words that are meaningful to you and easy to remember.

Limit the sharing of your personal information to trusted retailers, and even then, there’s no need to divulge your entire life story! While there are mandatory details marked with an asterisk for purchase, you can generally omit any additional information.

The NCSC recommends refraining from creating accounts with retailers unless it’s for regular use, like your weekly supermarket shopping. If you must create an account, consider signing in with an existing account, such as Apple or Google. This is generally the safer option.

Although it might be inconvenient to enter your card details each time, it’s always safer not to save your payment information on any website. In the unfortunate event of a hack, it means your payment details won’t be compromised.

As the trend of shopping on Facebook and Instagram gains popularity for its convenience, it also presents an increased risk of scams.

Fraudsters often exploit this avenue by creating fake profiles or pages that closely resemble legitimate businesses. This deception can lead unsuspecting users to believe they are making a purchase from a reputable company, only to discover they are dealing with an imposter who may misuse their personal and financial information.

Social media platforms, unlike traditional e-commerce websites, frequently fall short in providing adequate buyer protection, which is why you can fall foul of Black Friday scams so easily. This deficiency means that should issues arise with your order, obtaining a refund or replacement may prove challenging.

“With so many shopping options across social media platforms, these retailers are really not set up to protect consumers’ personal data,” says Bauman.

If you’ve seen something you love being advertised or promoted on social media, it’s prudent to take extra steps for security. Instead of making a direct purchase through the platform, consider finding the product details and conducting a separate search on the retailer’s official website or visit the physical store.