How to shop safely online this coming Black Friday

South Africans will be more focused than ever on bargain hunting for the best deals on offer after a long year of financial strain.

Aside from the key e-commerce sales days in November, the pandemic’s acceleration of online shopping will mean that a significant portion of holiday shopping will take place online.

Not only are e-tailers and customers preparing for the traditional end-of-year shopping bonanza; scammers and fraudsters intend to participate as well.

“We have to be on the lookout for dodgy deals and be smart when it comes to prices that seem ‘too good to be true’. Unfortunately, more online shopping activity means more opportunities for cybercrimes to take place,” explains Cyber security expert and GoldPhish CEO, Dan Thornton

Pay attention to your instincts.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is – Of course, Black Friday is all about discounts that aren’t available any other time of year, but don’t let that cloud your judgement.

If you have any doubts about a link or a voucher, or if a price appears to be too low, go directly to the retailer’s website; if the deal is genuine, it will be there.

Don’t reveal any personal information.

Legitimate businesses will never ask you to send your bank account information or password via text message.

If they’re an online retailer, they’ll be well aware of the prevalence of scams and will gladly provide you with proof of their legitimacy.

Be wary of social media marketplaces.

If you’re thinking about buying something from a social media profile page, find out how long the company has been around, how many followers it has, and whether the customer reviews are from real accounts.

Only authorise secure payments.

When entering your information into a website, look for a small padlock symbol in the address bar.

Furthermore, always ensure that the URL from the site you’re entering information into begins with https://, as this indicates that your data will be encrypted.

Use only credit cards.

If you were duped and used a credit card to make the transaction, it is much easier for your bank to refund you.

Transferring funds directly from your account or using a debit card can complicate the refund process significantly.

If you’ve been duped, act quickly.

Your first priority should be to contact your bank. Your credit cards must be replaced, and your bank account security information must be changed.

Furthermore, you must be quick in resetting passwords and increasing the security settings on your online shopping accounts.