Black Friday’s one-click shopping will be here before you know it on November 28. Shoppers should be especially vigilant this year, as scams associated with this favorite shopping extravaganza are rapidly increasing. Retailers are putting out announced sales and promotions several weeks ahead of time. Safety and fraud experts are already sounding alarms on the safety front and potential for fraud. Some have even dubbed the day “Black Fraud Day,” highlighting the risks consumers may face as they prepare for their holiday shopping.
This is especially true as recent reports show a steep increase in malicious emails that mention Black Friday. Darktrace, a cybersecurity firm, reports that these spoofed emails tend to be at their highest on the eve of Halloween—October 31st! Scammers know how to manipulate language to make you feel urgency. They trumpet flash sale pricing and imply that supplies are almost gone. This proven strategy leverages consumers’ enthusiasm for getting a good deal. On the flip side, it can force them into making hasty choices that compromise their sensitive and financial data.
The Tactics of Deception
Fraudsters use a host of dynamic and creative plays to deceive consumers and lure them into costly scams. One popular tactic is to spoof recognizable brand names through email address impersonation to make these emails seem legit. Nathaniel Jones from Darktrace further details how scammers spoof names. They make “John Lewis” into “J0hn Lewis” by substituting an ‘o’ for a zero in order to trick harried shoppers. This sort of spin can quickly pull the wool over the eyes of those who don’t pay attention.
Furthermore, many fraud schemes recently have included the establishment of sham microenterprises, which might seem legitimate at first blush. Armed with new technology based on artificial intelligence, scammers are creating whole new fraudulent personas, including believable narratives and eye-catching storefronts. Adrian Ludwig of Tools for Humanity warns, “With AI, fraudsters can now create entire deceptive small-business identities, complete with faces, stories and photo-perfect shops in just minutes.” This continuous change in the ways of scamming makes it harder and harder for consumers to tell apart a valid offer to a scam.
Protecting Consumers
Organizations such as Action Fraud and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) have begun raising the alarm. They push for consumers to be wary, even as these threats are on the rise. Action Fraud is the UK’s national reporting center for fraud and cyber crime. It provides comforting assistance and helpful direction to the most vulnerable members of our society who feel they have been scammed. The NCSC has, as a result, significantly expanded its outreach to educate consumers on how to spot and steer clear of these Black Friday scams.
Jonathon Ellison, the NCSC’s director for national resilience, emphasizes the urgent nature of this issue. He cautions that cyber criminals are more than ready to take advantage of our newfound spending by leveraging trusted brands, popular products and current events to lure people into clicking on malicious links or providing sensitive personal and financial information. He warns consumers to be careful and do their due diligence to check out any deals before you buy.
UK shoppers should be aware of their rights under the Consumer Credit Act 1974, which protects many sales made with credit cards. Knowing these protections and how they work can save you money and protect you when someone steals your credit card or bank information.