Black Friday is fast approaching

Black Friday is fast approaching, with its seemingly unbeatable deals and the kickoff to the holiday shopping season, but it also marks the time for Black Friday scams. From phishing emails to advertisements pretending to be one company and directing us to a fake website, Black Friday can be more costly than joyful for many people with the continual rise in cyber security threats.

Avoid falling for Black Friday scams. Always Stop and think before you click. Does the deal seem too good to be true? It probably is. Challenge any requests for personal or payment information. Contact the supplier directly to check if the request is genuine. Protect yourself by contacting your bank and Action Fraud to report any suspicious activity or calls you may have received.

On social media

If you’re scrolling on social media, don’t be caught out by ads that take you to fake retailer websites. Ads pop up all over social media saying that all stock has to go, but shoppers are led to fake sites and none of the goods ordered ever arrive. Not only will your money get taken, but scammers can steal your card details, too.

Through your inbox

If you regularly shop online, you’ll likely receive lots of emails from retailers, but in the run-up to Christmas, you need to be on your guard for phishing. You might get an email boasting huge discounts or telling you that an order you have made has gone wrong. There will then be a link to get the discount or correct your order, but if you click on it, you could end up downloading malware (damaging software) onto your device. Or you could be persuaded to reveal your card or personal details, which will be used in a scam later down the line.

By text or WhatsApp

It’s also important to keep your eye out for ‘smishing’ – scams that come via text message. We see a lot of fake delivery notifications come by text. You’ll be told you’ve missed a fictional delivery and will need to make payment and supply additional information to rearrange.

This information will then be used against you with an impersonation scam. For example, you might get a call a few days later from a fraudster pretending to be from your bank, warning you of fraudulent activity on your account. You’ll be advised to move your money into a new account (run by the fraudsters), and you won’t see it again.

In online marketplaces

Social media sites such as Facebook Marketplace can be a great way for honest people to sell crafts or things they no longer need, but criminals are big fans too. Goods might be fake, stolen or non-existent.