Safety Tips for Online Black Friday Shopping
Covid-19 has undoubtedly changed the way people shop. Many people don’t want to expose themselves to crowds and queues and have opted to do their shopping online. Online shopping is expected to reach its peak with Black Friday happening this weekend.
I would really advise you to not go online to do shopping for the very first time, on Friday 27 2020. Rather visit the online shopping platforms of the retailers you would like to buy from ahead of time – and familiarize yourself with the layout of the site.
Tips for online Black Friday shopping:
- If you are a new online shopper, it would be advisable to create a profile ahead of time.
- If you are an existing online shopper make sure your profile (including card details) is updated and ready to go for when you want to make a purchase.
- Start comparing prices of the goods you want beforehand, so that you are able to recognize a good deal online when you see it.
- Set up a wish list of items you are interested in before the time and also allocate a maximum amount that you would like to pay for it.
Criminals are also waiting for Black Friday. Here are some safety tips when shopping online:
- Don’t let the adrenalin and good vibes of finding something you really want, get in the way of your common sense – if a discount looks too good to be true, it often is.
- Make sure the software on your desktop, laptop or phone is up to date, and that you have anti-virus software installed.
- Buy big ticket items from reputable dealers. If you don’t know the store well, read their customer reviews on social media, look up their business address and phone number and check that they really exist.
- Social media marketplaces can be a great place to find Black Friday bargains, but it is also a place where you can be easily conned. Check out the profiles of sellers, look at how long they have been around, and check their reviews and ratings from other customers.
- Cyber criminals often use the urgency of a sale to trick victims into clicking on dangerous links or parting with their personal and bank card information. Don’t simply click on emailed links to competitions or discount vouchers, especially if they want you do so in a particularly quick timeframe. Watch out for deals that say something will only be available for 10 minutes or for the first 100 people who respond.
- Cyber criminals are very creative and clever! They create websites and emails that appear to be from legitimate businesses. Don’t simply follow links from emails – rather go directly to the retailer’s website. Be cautious about downloading email attachments claiming to be price lists or vouchers.
- Always keep your confirmation email and proof of payment emails after making the transaction.
NB: If you didn’t need it before it went on sale – do you really need it?
