Four tips to avoid Black Friday online scams

Black Friday offers a wealth of opportunities for enterprises and individuals to save money on high price items like new technology. It also gives companies listing their inventory a chance to enjoy record sales.

However, the offer of advantageous deals in a limited window can see users become less cautious. As a result, the annual online shopping event is also a breeding ground for Black Friday scams deployed by cybercriminals.

The consequences of these scams can have a devastating impact on both consumers and businesses. In this article, we’ll define Black Friday, and take a look at some common scams while supplying useful advice to help you sidestep them.

What exactly is Black Friday?

An event originally launched in the US, Black Friday has now become popular here in the UK.

A yearly occasion, it falls on the Friday before American Thanksgiving, and involves thousands of retailers slashing their prices to let buyers benefit from outstanding deals ahead of Christmas.

While once limited to a weekend, Black Friday has extended to include “Cyber Monday” and beyond, with “Cyber Week” for longer availability of online deals.

Bogus websites

Cybercriminals use fake sites that look authentic to action various scams. Websites advertise bogus Black Friday deals, harvest credit card credentials and collect personally identifiable information (PII) like names, telephone numbers and email and street addresses to use in scams, or simply sell on to other scammers.

For instance, sites designed to resemble popular online marketplaces like Amazon fool users into entering financial and personal information. Scammers send out fake emails regarding an order being cancelled or a return, leading users to a bogus site where they complete an online form, entering their name and credit card details.

How to avoid Bogus websites

The simplest method of avoiding a fake site is to ensure you are on the official website. Cloned sites choose URLs that look like the website they are mimicking, but contain errors. Check the site URL in browser, look for typos and make certain the right domain is in use, like “.co.uk”.

Gift card scams

Another common Black Friday trap to watch out for is gift cards scams. This can involve fake gift cards, gift card generators infected with malware and unusual payment requests.

Scammers might sell discounted gift cards, but the cards are sometimes stolen or have a zero balance. However, they also use gift card generators as a method of installing malware on a user’s device. A simple gift card scam is to request payment by unusual means like a gift card, wire transfer or a type of prepaid card.

How to avoid gift card scams

When purchasing a gift card, only use reputable sources like the official website of the retailer.

After buying a card, ensure the balance is correct, and only use a secure payment method to purchase, like a credit card or PayPal, that offers protection against scams. Make sure your device has strong antivirus to defend it against malware installation, and never consider unusual payment requests.

Fake delivery notifications

Usually sent via text message or emails, fake delivery notifications are another common Black Friday scam.

Cybercriminals send bogus messages regarding a delivery error to engage users. This could involve a missed delivery, a failed payment or a need for further contact or credit card details.

Typically, these scams are designed to steal PII or financial information for further cybercriminals activity, or to sell to other scammers. However, they can also involve fake tracking numbers to download that install malware or payment requests for a bogus delivery fee.

How to avoid fake delivery notifications

Never respond to unexpected messages regarding a delivery sent via text or email. Don’t click on any links included in such emails or download any documents from them.

If you are expecting a delivery, go to the official site where you purchased the item, or follow the tracking information provided on the registered courier’s website.

Account verification scam

Finally, account verification scams are designed to let hackers access a user’s online accounts.

Using malicious messages, scammers claim an issue has occurred with a user’s account or purchase, and prompts them to act swiftly. The aim of the scam is to trick you into giving sensitive data, like login credentials, which they can then use to invade your account. Many users store credit card numbers and their personal identification on accounts, which can then be exploited by scammers.

How to avoid account verifications scams

Official companies will never request that you verify your account by giving sensitive details. If you receive an email, call or SMS asking you for such information, never respond.

Make sure your company is cyber aware and secure with assistance from our team of expert engineers at 127 Solutions. Contact us today for advice and assistance.