Shop safely on Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday 2024: avoid these scams and tricks

Many people consider the holidays to be the most wonderful time of the year, but with scammers and imposters looking to take advantage of holiday shoppers, it can quickly become the worst of times if you’re not careful.

Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday have special prominent places on the holiday shopping calendar. According to data collected by Capital Oneconsumer spending on Cyber ​​Monday has grown from $3.1 billion in 2015 to $12.4 billion in 2023, with no signs of slowing down in 2024. The financial institution also found that an estimated 73.1 million people shopped online during Cyber ​​Monday last year, compared to 20.9 million people who went to an actual store.

The Internet has already become a haven for scammers – with the Federal Trade Commission estimated at more than $300 million has already been lost this year to online shopping fraud – but things go to a whole different level during the holidays, when people are much more likely to part with their money, especially online and for deals that may seem too good to be true WHERE. Don’t let your festive spirit sour this year and read on for CNET’s tips for avoiding Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday scams.

For more holiday shopping, check out CNET’s best streaming deals and the best TVs on the market for 2024.

Be wary of who you deal with to avoid phishing scams

Phishing scams (which involve attempts to voluntarily trick you into giving you a piece of important information) are the basis of modern online scams, and you can bet these schemes are in effect this holiday season.

Melissa Ames, president of an Ohio-based chapter of the Better Business Bureau, spoke to a local news station: warned shoppers to be careful about emails and text messages claiming that a package they ordered is stuck in transit. These types of messages are often used by scammers to get you to click on a link and give them personal information. While you’re keeping an eye on holiday packages, it’s best to ignore these types of messages and rely solely on the website of the shipping company you’re using.

NerdWallet has also warned shoppers to be alert to phishing attacks using QR codes, a rising trend known as ‘quishing’. When these codes are scanned, they lead you to fraudulent websites or in some cases install malware directly onto your device. To avoid this fate, it’s best to avoid scanning QR codes you receive unexpectedly, such as from strange emails, and be extra vigilant about the authenticity of codes you encounter in public.

Be careful where you use your credit card

Credit cards are a necessity when shopping for deals online, but they can also get you in trouble. Expert sources, such as the North Carolina Department of Justiceencourage shoppers to shop with cards and always keep receipts to make it easier to track your purchases and ensure you get your money back if you’ve been misled about a particular product.

On the other hand, you should also be careful about how and where you use your credit card. When making a purchase online, make sure you are using your own home Wi-Fi network. Making purchases over public Wi-Fi networks significantly increases the risk of your personal information being exposed to hackers.

Here you can read more about what to look out for when dealing with credit card scams. Your credit card company may also offer various services to help you deal with possible fraud on your card. If you suspect your card has been confiscated for illegal purposes during the holiday season, be sure to call your company’s customer service department to see what your options are.

Make sure the charity asks for a donation

Charities are a regular part of the holiday season, with organizations hoping to tap into the spirit of giving to help their causes. Unfortunately, this has prompted bad actors to use the facade of charity to trick generous people into giving them money for a bogus cause.

To prevent thisit is best to make sure that you only donate to charities that you already know or where you can find official information about them somewhere. This is especially true for charities that try to reach you through emails or online advertisements.

Before making a donation, check the organization or charity. You can use a charity evaluation service such as Charity Navigatorthat evaluates charities based on their financial health, accountability and transparency. Charity Navigator assigns the “Give with Confidence” designation to the organizations it deems safe to donate to.

Be careful which websites you visit

Experts strongly recommend that you be careful about the websites you visit and do business during the holiday season, as scammers have been known to create fake shopping websites or review sites to deceive customers. In conversation with Staten Island LiveMiguel Fornés, a cybersecurity expert for SurfShark, called this tactic the most common tactic used by scammers and warned about the methods they can use to create convincing fakes.

“Scammers simply create fake websites or mobile apps that resemble legitimate retailers,” he explains. “Logos, fonts and website design may look very similar to well-known brands. Fraudsters may also use social media or other channels to advertise such fake stores to lure victims.”

To help avoid these fake sites, customers are advised to only transact business on websites they already know and trust during the holiday season. If you are unsure about a website you find, you can also consult trusted outlets such as TrustPilot And BazaarStem to try to determine if they are legitimate. Also be wary of offers on products that seem too good to be true, as this can often be a ploy to get you to shop on a fake website.

What should you do if you spot a scam?

If you think you’ve stumbled upon a scam this holiday season, it’s important that you do your part to draw attention to it. This may include sharing the details of the possible scam with friends and family, as well as sharing what you know with the Better Business Bureau scam trackerwebsite.