Cybersecurity experts say the days of safe online shopping for Black Friday are long gone, thanks to scammers, The Guardian reported.
Richard Horne, the chief executive of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) in the United Kingdom, now calls the retail holiday “Black Fraud Day,” as scammers look at it as the prime time to trick hopeful shoppers looking for a deal. “The festive season had become ‘prime time for cybercriminals’ as consumers hunted for deals,” Horne said.
“Fraudsters were targeting bargain hunters with increasingly sophisticated scams, sometimes crafted using AI, making them harder to detect.”
While consumers are eager to save money, scammers cashed in during the 2023 holiday season. Data shows shoppers were scammed out of more than $11.5 million and roughly $1 million in 2022. With more than 16,000 claims of online shopping fraud reported between November 2023 and January 2024, 43% were reported to Britain’s scam reporting center, Action Fraud, with online marketplaces mentioned in 18.9% of reports.
The most common scamming targets were listed as fake clothing or high-end tech gadgets. The data was supported by an analysis from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, which added the most common age demographics being targeted. People aged between 30 and 39 accounted for the largest number of victims who submitted a report at 23%. Victims aged 40 to 29 followed close behind at 20%. Forty-two was the average age of victims.
Experts of consumer fraud encourage shoppers to be vigilant during the 2024 holiday season, especially since Black Friday has expanded from a single-day sale into weeks of promotional offers. “Never feel pressured into making a purchase online. A false sense of urgency is a classic tactic used by fraudsters,” Action Fraud’s Deputy Director, Adam Mercer, said, according to The 420. He continued to push shoppers to use credit cards over direct bank transfers as credit card companies offer better protection for consumers if a fraud needs to be disputed.
In addition, shoppers are urged to take caution when looking for online deals, as some can be deemed sophisticated scams. Gift cards, false delivery alerts, and social media ads are listed as some of the most popular. Faulty websites have been added to the top four. One website that looks like a popular retailer can be thrown off using a specific word like “the” in the beginning or adding “.shop” at the end.
To help fight these scam threats, NCSC is launching a public awareness campaign that equips and prepares consumers with the resources needed to protect themselves. Some of the campaign guidelines include implementing two-step verifications for online accounts, avoiding suspicious links, and doing research on the sellers, such as seeking reputable review platforms prior to making purchases.
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