In a year where Covid-19 has caused unprecedented disruption, it is perhaps with some relief that the retail traditions of Black Friday and Cyber Monday may be bigger than ever, as retailers expand their online offerings in response to the shift in consumers spending habits and the reality of lockdown 2.0.  

But while there are many good deals and opportunities for a bargain, this is not without risk. It's not just you or businesses who are seeking to benefit at this time - fraudsters and cyber scammers are too.

These criminals are ruthless and will use a range of tools to try and scam customers - from phishing texts impersonating legitimate companies to malicious websites that mimic a brand's site, shopping cart or social media page. They will also try to capitalise on customers lowering their guard as they rush to secure a bargain, especially if that deal is advertised for a limited time only.  

However, while even the savviest shopper can be fooled by a fraudster, maintaining good cyber hygiene by following the tips below should help protect you from the majority of scams.

Checklist

• Secure sites ? Always check that the website you are using is safe and secure by looking for the padlock symbol in the address bar. If this is not present, it means the site is unsecure and your data is at risk. If you have been asked to click on a link, you can also hover over it to see whether the address is genuine.

• Passwords - Having strong, unique, and varied passwords is one of the best ways to protect yourself online, especially for your email accounts. While it may seem inconvenient or difficult to remember them all, using a password manager will help you to stay organised.

• Trust your instincts - If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. Criminals know that you will be looking for the best deals and will take advantage of this by promoting fake offers. Check reviews, buy from trusted sources and always Take Five before you purchase something to be sure what you?re buying is legitimate. Offers with poor spelling and grammar are also indicative of a scam.

• Social media ? Fraudsters are increasingly turning to social media platforms to promote their scams as it can be harder for customers to determine whether a link is malicious or not. Avoid clicking on links in marketplaces and used trusted brands? apps or websites instead.

• Wi-Fi ? While this is less applicable during lockdown, avoid doing any shopping while connected to a public Wi-Fi network. Instead, use your securer home network to surf the web.

• Software updates ? Whether shopping on your mobile or home device, always make sure you have the latest software update and security patches installed.

• Credit cards - Using a credit card when purchasing online will give you added customer protection and support if you do not receive what you ordered.

While there is never a 100 per cent guarantee of security when shopping online, following these precautions should give you the confidence to shop safely this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

Take Five to Stop Fraud has launched a campaign to raise awareness of purchase scams while consumers are searching for Black Friday bargains online. If a deal looks too good to be true, it probably is. More here:  https://takefive-stopfraud.org.uk/be-black-friday-savvy/

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