The biggest shopping day of the year is just four days away – but bargain hunters have been warned to keep their wits about them as the annual deals frenzy gets under way.
New data has shown that around £3bn will be spent in the UK over the 2023 Black Friday weekend, with 60% of people planning to take part in the annual sale, which this year falls on November 24. However scammers will also be getting ready to take advantage. Research from Barclays Bank showing that the reported number of purchase scams increased by 34% over Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2022, with £1,072 being lost on average per person.
This year, cautious shoppers are hoping to protect themselves, with Google searches for ‘Black Friday scams’ jumping by 264% in the past month, according to Sandro Okropiridze, CEO of STORI, an AI-powered content creation platform.
While phishing emails and Amazon scams are always something to watch for, there are other reported scam methods from 2022 that people should watch out for again this year. “If you’re getting ready to empty your bank account this Black Friday, so are the countless cybercriminals lurking on social media,” said Sandro. ” Each year, the amount we spend online increases, as does the amount of consumers falling victim to thefts and hacks. With social media the source of 88% of all reported shopping scams, it’s best to brush up on the methods fraudsters use to hijack the holidays before you hit the sales.”
- Fraudulent ads: You’re in a hurry to secure the best deals before they sell out and scammers are hoping to cash in on this. Look out for ads that mimic legitimate brands, which lead to fake websites with unbelievable deals designed to hurry you to check out before you realise you’re being scammed. Even if nothing looks out of place, proceed with caution, and always double-check the URL before you hit purchase.
- Phishing messages: It’s a great time of year for cybercriminals to send messages claiming to be reputable retailers and advising you to click on links. This is known as phishing. Don’t click if you’re unsure. If you do, you will find one of two things: a legitimate-looking website designed to steal your banking information or a page full of ads and pop-ups designed to trick you into installing malware.
- Counterfeit goods: If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is. Social media is awash with scammers selling counterfeit products but check their reviews and who posted them. It’s easy to create a bunch of empty accounts and leave fake reviews, so don’t assume that a five-star rating is reliable.
- Fake contests: There are plenty of well-established companies running contests this time of year, but some just want your personal information, likely to sell on to other scammers. Handing over your name and email address may seem harmless, but you will be inundated with phishing emails and it only takes one lapse of judgment to lose everything.
- Bait-and-switch scams: Scammers know Black Friday shoppers are on the lookout for the best price, so they offer popular goods at a greater discount than any other store. If you receive anything at all, it will undoubtedly be lower quality than you were expecting. To avoid falling victim, have a look at Trustpilot — If there are no reviews or any red flags, pay a little more and buy it from a reputable retailer.
- Payment hijacking: Before you enter your password or credit card information, glance at the top left corner of your browser. Do you see the padlock and does the URL start with ‘https’? If not, stop. The website you’re purchasing from isn’t safe. The information you’re about to submit isn’t encrypted and cybercriminals can steal it without too much effort. If a retailer’s payment gateway isn’t secure, you should seriously reconsider.
- Brand impersonation: Scammers have been creating fake profiles for as long as social media has existed, often aiming to trick users into making purchases and handing over personal data. A blue tick used to be a good indication of legitimacy, but with paid verification now offered on platforms such as X, this is no longer the case. Have a look at the account’s activity — Is it littered with grammatical errors or is there a lack of engagement? Often there’s an obvious sign that you’re being duped.
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