Don’t let scammers steal your festive cheer: stay safe when shopping online

News | Posted on Wednesday 20 November 2024

Hoping to bag a bargain in the Black Friday sales this month? Whether you’re making a start on Christmas shopping or just planning to treat yourself, it’s important to stay safe when shopping online.

Cybercriminals use events such as Black Friday to push fake deals and try to trick you into sharing your personal information.

Remember, if a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is.

Here are our top tips when shopping online: 

  • Watch out for fake deals: be wary of any deals which are suspiciously cheap, especially if they are for luxury or branded goods. It may be a ploy to get you to visit their site and reveal your personal information. 

  • If you receive shopping offers by email or text: 
    • Don’t select any links they contain. Instead, hover over them to make sure they’re taking you where you think they are. You can also check the retailer websites directly to see if the offer is legitimate. 
    • Resist FOMO. Nobody wants to miss out on a deal, but be cautious of any messages which claim deals are only available for a very limited amount of time. Scammers try to create a sense of urgency to pressure you to respond.

  • Avoid shopping on social media: we’re currently seeing a trend in fake shopping sites being set up and promoted on social media platforms such as Instagram or TikTok. These fake shops often use generative AI to promote products which either don’t exist, or are not what you were expecting when they do arrive. If you spot a good deal on social media, always: 
    • Verify that the shop or seller exists: search online to see if they also have a website, check how long they have been active and read any reviews. 
    • Avoid direct payments: be very wary if a seller asks you to pay directly via bank transfer or through payment apps, rather than through secure payment options like credit cards, which often offer buyer protection.

  • Only shop on trusted websites: criminals often make fake copies of legitimate websites to try and trick shoppers into visiting them and entering their personal details. Check the URL to make sure you’re on the correct website and make sure it begins with ‘https’ rather than ‘http’.