The appeal of bagging a bargain on Black Friday continues to grow year on year, but one West Lothian company is urging online shoppers to be vigilant about deals that seem too good to be true as malvertising and phishing scam attempts are set to skyrocket this week.
This year, an estimated 12 million transactions are predicted to take place on the first day of the Black Friday sales weekend, with millions more to follow on Cyber Monday. That’s an increase of 10% on last year. However, the cyber security experts at Workflo Solutions are urging consumers to be cautious about where they spend their money.
Speaking ahead of Black Friday, Workflo Solutions’ managing director Michael Field warns of the prevalence of malvertising; “Always go directly to the retailer’s website to avoid falling victim to malicious advertising. This can take the form of banner ads, pop-ups or sponsored posts promising exclusive discounts which, when clicked, direct you to scam websites.
“These scam sites can look highly convincing at first glance, with similar branding to the real deal. But take a closer look and you’ll notice there is usually a slight difference in the spelling of the web address. It’s on these sites we see consumers paying for products that simply don’t exist.”
In Case You Missed It:
And it’s not just the disappointment of purchases not arriving that consumers can be left with. Unsecure online transactions put shoppers at risk of identity theft and financial loss, as Field explains; “Look for the padlock icon in the address bar. This means all the information travelling between your browser and the website is encrypted, so no one else can read it. If the website is not secure, sensitive information such as passwords and banking details can easily fall into the wrong hands.”
Amidst the excitement of Black Friday, Field urges consumers to stop and think; “It’s so easy to get caught up in the rush to bag a bargain before they sell out, but it’s vital that consumers pause to consider what they are clicking on and who they are sharing sensitive data with. Check for poor grammar and spelling mistakes in sales emails, and beware of fake order confirmations and delivery updates that contain links or ask you to input personal details.”
And finally, Field urges everyone to remember the basics of online safety; “Whether you’re shopping online this weekend or not, it’s important you stay safe online every day of the year. So always choose strong passwords, update your software regularly, and choose safe payment methods such as credit cards, Apple Pay or PayPal. That way, you may find it easier to claim a refund if you are unfortunate enough to fall victim to Black Friday fraud.”
