November 21, 2018
By secureguard

In our last post we discussed, 6 common misconceptions about security guards and today we will discuss the mistakes that can make your the victim of Black Friday Scams.

Black Friday is the busiest shopping extravaganza in the country. After all, this is the time of the year when a shopper can get huge discounts and deals. It goes without saying that most people will prefer online shopping instead of turning into a “doorbuster”. They not only shop from the comfort of their home, but also choose from the huge range of inventories. According to data from the National Retail Federation, an estimated 170 million people will shop online this year.

Black Friday is also a great opportunity for cyber criminals, but for phishing and tricking the shoppers into fraudulent activities. Luckily, you can keep those attacks at a bay by avoiding the mistakes given below.

Going for the Deal That’s Sound Too Good to Leave

Lucrative deals often attract shopper’s attention. They are so cheap when compared with other deals. Examples of such deals are iPhone X for $ 10, LCD screen for $ 5, designer dress for $ 1 and so on. Once you enter the deal, you are asked to provide your account number or credit card info. Therefore, you shouldn’t trust such deals.

Clicking on a Suspicious Link

Another trap to avoid is suspicious links appearing on your inbox. And these emails appear to be sent by a legitimate shopping brand or retailer. These suspicious emails are intended to unleash viruses, malware or trackers on your device. Needless to say, your inbox will be cluttered with tons of such emails during Black Friday.

So, be mindful while opening the promotional emails or deals. If the link looks malicious, don’t open them. Instead, delete them right away. It is better to visit the retailer’s site to look for the deal.

Visiting Unsecured Sites

Make sure to shop from encrypted websites. And it is very easy to tell if a site is secure or encrypted. Just look at the green padlock at the left end of the URL bar while it starts with “HTTPS”. If the site lacks this, it may not be a legit one.

Using Suspicious Coupons or Gift Cards

“XXX is rewarding each family with $100 OFF Coupon to celebrate Black Friday! Simple Like & Share This Post! We Will Send Your Coupon Right Away!!!”

You must have come across such luring messages over WhatsApp or social media.

This is just another tactic used by scammers to attract the customers. Such gift cards often promise big discounts on a particular product or service. Opting for such cards may lead to the loss of money. Instead, visit the legitimate retailer’s site to verify the coupons or gift cards.

Clicking Over Fake Shipping Notifications

It is really tricky to keep track of your multiple orders from different retailers. So you will be likely to open every link regarding the delivery of your orders. And cyber criminals are familiar with this tendency of a customer. So they will pose as a retailer and send you an email to tell about the issue delivering a package. To get it on time, you will be asked to click a specific link. If you click it, you could be downloading virus or ransomware.

Using a Debit Card Instead of Credit Card

Avoid using a debit card for shopping because if a scammer gets access to your card data, they can pull the money out of your bank account. Credit cards, on the other hand, are safer to use as they come with the benefits like price protection, fraud protection, and extended warranties. Credit card companies do not hold you responsible for the fraudulent purchase.

Whether it is Halloween or Black Friday, you should be careful while making a purchase online. Otherwise, losing your money or falling prey to scammers can spoil your shopping excitement.

6 Black Friday Scam Mistakes to Avoid