With most shops closed this year’s online Black Friday and Cyber Monday are going to be record breaking. The combination of retailers desperate to make sales and pent up consumers looking for bargains is going to lead to massive sales. Unfortunately, the fraudsters know this and are going to be looking to catch millions of people out. Please follow our tips and stay safe.
IF THE DEAL LOOKS TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE, IT’S A SCAM
Tips and Advice
- Safe site? – Good Anti-Virus software will block copy-cat/fake sites. So, keep your AV protection on and up to date
- Is it real? – Check grammar, spelling, and URL of websites. These can be a clue for fake websites
- Pay safe – use a credit card for all online shopping purchases they provide a lot more protection than debit cards or PayPal. Avoid any requests for bank transfers or wire transfers.
- Time pressure – The reason so many people fall for scams in this period is because of FOMO, don’t let FOMO rush your decision and fall for a scam
- Do you know the seller? – If not check them out online, do they have a lot of positive reviews, if not, AVOID!
- Passwords – Use strong separate passwords for your online accounts. Strong passwords are at least 8 characters, with symbols, upper case/lower case letters and avoid self-identifiers. See our guide to safe passwords.
- Contact – your bank or credit card company if you have already given out financial details
- Still Unsure? – Call Reassura 0800 888 6400 and one of our fraud advisor’s will help you to stay safe
- To report a fraud – and receive a police crime reference number call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or use their online fraud reporting tool
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