Digital scams on Black Friday: how to stay protected

Black Friday is one of the most eagerly awaited dates among consumers looking to take advantage of offers and promotions on an array of products and services. As a result, the rush to purchase the desired product or service, motivated by the fear of missing out on such a good offer, can certainly make things a lot easier for cybercriminals. 

They take advantage of the increase in purchases during the offer period to apply scams and digital fraud, causing financial losses and stress for shoppers. That makes it vital to learn how to protect yourself and identify the most common scams to avoid falling for them and enjoy the offers with greater peace of mind. 

The most common scams on Black Friday

One of the most common scams is phishing, which involves sending fraudulent messages via email, social networks, and messenger apps to get the victim to click on a malicious link, access a fake website, or provide personal data. In general, scammers pretend to be trusted stores or institutions and use the Black Friday theme to attract users’ attention with fake offers, security alerts, or even urge consumers to buy from completely fake websites.

In addition, criminals can buy ads and better positions in search engines to promote their fake sites, while also using layouts and domains that are very similar to those of well-known online stores to gain the trust of victims. Scammers generally use very low prices or excellent payment terms, which don’t actually exist, to attract and hook their victims.

In most cases, the goal is to clone a card, steal money by buying fake products, invade the victim’s bank account, or sell their bank details to third parties. It’s also important to bear in mind that cloning can occur both through purchases on fake websites and in brick-and-mortar stores through tampered card machines. 

As well as keeping up to date about the most common scams on Black Friday, it’s equally important to learn how to protect yourself from them. Below are a few safety tips that may help you during this promotional period.

Beware of advertisements and unmissable offers 

Always check the origin of any emails, messages, or links you receive. Be wary of very tempting or urgent offers and avoid clicking on ads on social networks or from unknown stores. If you are interested in an offer, access the site directly through your browser to avoid clicking on possibly malicious links.

Also, check the security of websites before making online purchases and always check that the address is spelled correctly. If you don’t know the site or store in question, search for reviews from other users to make sure they are legitimate. 

Compare prices and payment terms with other reliable online stores. If the price is far below the market price, be wary. 

Choose your payment method carefully

Beware of sites that only accept bank deposit slips or instant transfers. Many criminals prefer these payment methods because, unlike credit cards, there is still no technology to identify suspicious purchases. What’s worse, you’ll have a harder time getting your money refunded.

For this reason, it’s best to make payments using a digital card, as they can be created and blocked more easily. Also, keep an eye on your bank statements and notify the bank immediately in the event of suspicious transactions.

Ensure your security 

Avoid using public or unknown Wi-Fi networks to make online purchases, as these networks are not secure and may be vulnerable to cybercriminals.

It is also important to use strong and unique passwords for each website. A good tip is to use a password manager so you don’t have to remember them all and ensure your accounts are protected.

Finally, be wary of anything too good to be true, and remember that criminals often use extremely tempting coupons and discounts to lure their victims.

By following these tips, you can keep yourself safe from digital scams on Black Friday, without missing out on opportunities to save money!