How to protect yourself from scammers on Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday

Фото: Depositphotos

Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday are approaching, during which a huge number of Americans will go shopping: some in stores and malls, and some online.

In 2015, between Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday, US residents spent $3 million online and $2,75 in stores.

But these days you risk becoming the object of attack by scammers, who also actively use them for profit.

Edition Time gathered a few tips on how to protect themselves from the tricks and tricks of criminals.

Be attentive with offers that are served as profitable.

This is an old trick where you are told that there is a limited quantity of an item, which encourages you to buy faster. This is not illegal, but you should understand that such messages are designed to make the buyer tense and distract his attention from certain precautions - which is exactly what the scammers hope for.

All methods are good to get a good gift for relatives or friends for the holidays. Sellers are not responsible for your decisions.

If you didn’t come to the store with a specific shopping list and a precisely calculated budget that you are ready to spend, then you will most likely not be able to resist with marketing chips that make you buy something that was not planned.

Especially after you see an offer to buy a thing that “cannot be found in any other store, because they have been dismantled everywhere”.

When you come across such offers in a store or online, keep one simple truth in your head: know what you want to buy and how much it can cost. Remember: if it looks too good to be true, double check all the conditions and the reality of the proposal.

Phishing

After stories and tips on how to avoid phishing, have gained considerable popularity on the Internet, it seems that its victims should be much less. However, many people still fall for it. This is not least due to the fact that fraudsters have become more creative, more refined and more convincing.

Sites are copied down to the smallest detail, and the URL changes minimally - to one or two characters, which is very difficult to notice, especially if you receive a message or e-mail from there.

The main rule here is: if you received the offer by mail or on social networks, do not follow the suggested link, but go to the store's website, carefully enter the address, and check whether such an action is valid.

If the letter states that following a link is the only way to get a discount or a special offer, this is most likely a hoax, since not a single store will want to lose the chance of a direct transition to the promotion page from its website.

Check the goods personally

The most common purchases on Black Friday and Cyber ​​Monday are gifts for the Christmas holidays: electronics, personal care items, fashion accessories and travel. In most cases, it is better to make such acquisitions personally, in order to check the quality of the goods, their characteristics, etc. In addition, in this case, you will be able to consider other options for such goods and, perhaps, find a more advantageous offer.

There are certain types of purchases that make sense to make online, but buying a new TV or other technology is much better done in person. Even if you intend to make a purchase online, it won’t hurt to go and look at the chosen item in the store first.

Read also on ForumDaily:

Black Friday: where and what discounts to expect

Shopping on Black Friday: How to Find Real Discounts and Avoid the Hustle

Personal experience. How to save in the US

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