Beware of Black Friday and Cyber Monday Scams

Black Friday sales are in full swing and it is a great time to get some Christmas Shopping in at a discounted price. Although, there are certain risks associated with the event and Cyber Monday. Scammers and fraudsters are aware of the increased volume of shoppers online and it is a prime time for them to target consumers.

The Gardai issued a stark warning to shoppers this week that scammers stole approximately €45 million via frauds and scams in the second half of 2022. Google searches for online scams have significantly increased in recent years as consumers become more aware of fake websites and payment fraud. Similarly, Visa found that 73% of people noticed fraud attempts in 2022 while 42% of Irish consumers plan on availing of Black Friday sales, which is up 10% on last year which is expected due to the increased cost of living crisis.

Thus, Visa have provided the following tips to help keep you safe during this period.

1. Spell-check messages: Shoppers should scan through company websites and look out for inconsistencies and errors in grammar, spelling, or differences between the sender’s name and the URL link provided. Especially, if you receive a message or an email from a company unexpectedly ensure to check for these issues.
2. Be aware of urgent actions: This is a common tactic used by fraudsters to provoke the person they are targeting to take immediate action. Be cautious of phrases like ‘send (…) here’, or ‘click (…) below’, or ‘within 48 hours’ and take the time to decide if the statement is genuine. Therefore, if you are unsure whether the action is legitimate, contact the organisation with your query before completing your payment.
3. Watch out for hidden prompts: Scammers often provoke a response from you by suggesting a problem such as a disrupted delivery or making a tempting offer such as suggesting you won a competition. Consider your recent dealings with the organisation and if you don’t recognize the issue, it’s most likely a scam.
4. Check their credibility: Fraudsters work hard to convince shoppers of their credibility in messages by using words and phrases that might be found in genuine communications. It can be difficult to tell if the message is authentic or not. Therefore, shoppers are urged to contact the company to confirm the legitimacy.
5. Read out the message to someone you trust: If you are unsure whether fraudsters are trying to scam you read out the message to someone you trust. It is helpful to alleviate your worries and they may also have received a similar message and be able to guide you on the following steps to take.

Therefore, we urge our members to be aware of the increased frauds and scams that occur on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Please follow the guidance provided by Visa while also ensuring the website you are buying from has HTTPS or a padlock symbol, check reviews, watch out for cloned websites and check your refund rights.

Enjoy this exciting shopping event while being cautious this year.

All findings have been gathered from Lovin.ie and DublinLive.ie 2022.