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