Black Friday 24th Nov. 2023 and Cyber Monday 27th deals, Heads Up!
As you know, whenever we have fun, we get that big mouth scammer dancing on the table! This Black Friday is no exemption.
I've looked at what experts say to find out what should we do to minimise it.
Barclays says that last year 22% of shopper got scammed with an average of £970! Barclays has given us 3 steps to help us know if it is a sale or scam:
Pause and take a breath (I guess we click too much without thinking enough!!)
Do your research (absolutely a must if you are not familiar with the seller)
Get a second opinion (it can save you from a scammer)
Which? shares with us the "the banking industry's trade body UK Finance revealed there were 77,000 cases of this type of scam in the first six months of 2023 - more than 400 a day. " this is serious! Victims become the money tree for scammers and that is what we want to stop.
More horrific data has been shared in Which? article, you should have a look at it.
Furthermore, Which? shares some thoughtful tips starting with the classic say: "if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is." here is what they say:
Avoiding super low, too good to be true prices.
Browsing the website to check for scam signs, such as poor spelling, blurred images and no contact information.
Being wary of social media adverts.
Double checking the domain name of websites using tools like who.is - brands typically only have one official website.
Never paying via bank transfer as it’ll be harder to be reimbursed if you are scammed.
Never rush, take your time, it is not the end of the world if you don't buy it at that moment or it is gone.
Stay safe from scammers at all times. There techniques can be spotted easy sometimes:
If someone invites you to buy things online on any platform, it's a scam.
If they send you links and you don't know them, or it is unusual for the company to do so, it's a scam.
If the offer is too good, it's a scam, never click on those links.
If you get excited about buying an offer and can't stop your fingers from tapping and tapping, there is another solution: start singing:
This little piggy went to market
This little piggy stayed at home
This little piggy had roast beef
This little piggy had none.
And this little piggy cried ‘Wee, wee wee!’
All the way home.
That will make you start all over again and loose interest in completing your purchase.
Be vigilant, stay safe!
