Don't do this when shopping online this Black Friday

DW (English)

Black Friday means sales, sales, sales — but also scams, fraud and shady tricks. Here’s what to watch out for.

Transcript

00:00Have you snagged a Black Friday deal yet?

00:03It's the season of sales, sales, sales,

00:05but also scams, fraud, and sneaky tricks.

00:08Both online sellers and authorities

00:10are warning shoppers to stay sharp.

00:13And even legit sites use strategies

00:15designed to make you spend more than you want to.

00:17So what should you watch out for?

00:20Scams and fraud.

00:23Every Black Friday season, scams skyrocket.

00:26In 2022, cases of fraud rose by 29%.

00:30Clothing scams alone shot up by a staggering 646%,

00:35according to UK bank Lloyds.

00:37Other reports point in the same direction.

00:40Here are the top scams to watch out for

00:42and how to avoid them.

00:43Firstly, scam offers.

00:46You might find these on social media or resale platforms,

00:49but even trusted sites like Amazon

00:51can fall victim to bad actors.

00:54Scammers lure people with deals on popular

00:56and hard-to-find items, like gaming consoles.

00:59Spoiler, you can buy and pay,

01:02but the products will never arrive

01:03because the scammers don't have them.

01:05So trust your instincts.

01:07If a deal feels too good to be true, it probably is.

01:11Pay with buyer protection options like PayPal

01:13to safeguard your money.

01:14Secondly, phishing.

01:16Scammers sending fake emails

01:18pretending to be major retailers, such as Amazon,

01:21are a classic scam.

01:22These emails often warn you

01:24about suspicious account activity or order issues,

01:27urging you to click a link.

01:29Then you'll be asked to type in your details,

01:31including password, which will go straight to the scammers.

01:34Never click on that link.

01:36Instead, open a new browser tab,

01:38log in at the store's official website,

01:40and see if your account has a notification there.

01:43If it feels off, mark the email as spam and delete it.

01:48Thirdly, fake websites.

01:50Scammers build fake websites

01:51that look like existing retailers.

01:53They even use professional branding

01:55and secure-looking payment systems.

01:57Cybersecurity company Eclectic IQ

02:00recently uncovered a scam network

02:02targeting Black Friday shoppers.

02:04For example, sites like northfaceblackfriday.shop

02:07might seem credible,

02:09but are designed to steal your payment details.

02:12Stay safe.

02:13Double-check URLs for subtle misspellings

02:15or odd extensions.

02:17When in doubt, stick to official websites.

02:19But even when you're shopping on legitimate websites,

02:22sellers may use shady tricks known as dark patterns.

02:27Here are three sneaky tactics to watch out for.

02:30Number one, price manipulation.

02:33Discounts may not really be discounts.

02:36Some retailers inflate the original price

02:39to make discounts look more appealing.

02:41Tools like Keeper can be used to track prices over time

02:44and check if it's really a discount.

02:46Also, watch out for free gift offers.

02:49They're often bait to make you buy something you don't need.

02:53Number two, sneak into the basket.

02:56While outright adding products to your cart

02:58is often illegal,

02:59websites might bombard you with recommended add-ons.

03:03It's easy to accidentally include them while checking out.

03:06Always double-check your cart before hitting buy.

03:09Number three, timers and limited stock.

03:12Only one item left or countdown timers

03:15are classic psychological tricks.

03:17While they may seem convincing,

03:19many of these warnings are bogus.

03:21Next time you're booking a hotel online

03:23and it says only two rooms left, relax.

03:26This information is most probably fake.

03:28So to recap, here are the main points to keep in mind.

03:32Check the URL carefully for any signs of fraud.

03:35Don't let countdown timers

03:36or limited stock warnings pressure you.

03:39Remove any sneaky add-ons before checkout.

03:42And use tools to ensure you're getting the best deal.

03:46My personal tip, don't over-consume.

03:48Maybe sleep on it and think about

03:50whether you really need that purchase

03:52or if you're just falling for Black Friday hype.

03:55Keep your eyes open and have fun shopping.

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