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It's Christmas! (almost!) and unfortunately not everyone is going to be giving away lovely gifts this Christmas.
Black Friday & Cyber Monday.
Black Friday generally comes on the last Friday of November, followed by the first Monday, and is a sign that Christmas shopping can (officially) begin!
The problem is that Scammers know this and know that...
You're going to want to get your hands on a bargain
You're going to be expecting parcel deliveries
You're going to be stressed out (because it's Christmas!)
This is the perfect storm for Scammers. So don't fall victim to
Do your research
Shopping online is like running through a jungle trying to pick up only nice things! You're going to go down paths and in to regions that could be dangerous. Lurking behind that website might be a scam.
Make sure you look at reviews and buyers recommendations. 'Trust' is one of the reasons that online stores like Amazon are doing so well. Start there (if you can) and read reviews. Go to TrustPilot and see what they say about the company or service you're buying.
PRO TIP: Look for trust indicators, like that 'padlock' next to the website.
Remember... if it's too good to be true, it probably is!
Don't have Phish for Christmas
Sadly there is no such thing as 100% secure, and some phishing emails will get through into your inbox.
Remember that scammers are highly inventive and will send out emails which look like they're coming from legitimate companies.
A common approach is to impersonate delivery companies like Evri, DHL and the post office claiming that they have your parcel. They then ask for additional funds to 'release' the package. Remember that they send these kinds of messages to millions of people, so they only need a small amount from each person to make it worth their effort.
PRO TIP: If you're asked for extra money to pay for the delivery, it's most probably a scam so don't pay!
If you receive something like this at work, report it to your IT team or compliance officer for advice. Don't click the link, and don't hand them your money.
Use Credit Cards
Credit cards afford you additional protection (under the Consumer Credit Act), which means you'll be able to claim a refund on purchases over £100 (if they turn out to be scams/fraud).
PRO TIP: Reduce the credit limit on one of your cards to a smaller amount (such as £1,000) and use this for ALL your Christmas shopping. That way you can monitor what is going out, and you'll know how much Christmas is costing you!
Conclusion
Don't let Christmas become a 'humbug'... Take some steps to protect your online shopping before the big day so that Santa can bring all the joys of Christmas cheer!
If you need more help and advice about staying safe online, you can follow this link or contact Consultants Like Us for more information.