Shoppers looking to save money on Black Friday deals have been warned that they could be targeted by scammers.
Scammers could go as far as to make spoof websites designed to trick customers into handing over personal and financial details, said fraud prevention service Cifas. These websites can often look legitimate and easily trick shoppers who aren't being cautious, but there are often some hints as to whether a shopping site is legitimate or not.
Cifas urges shoppers to look out for misspelt brand names as well as basic-looking font and colour schemes. Phishing campaigns for sale deals may also encourage consumers to click on unsafe links.
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Amber Burridge, head of intelligence for Cifas, said: "Black Friday is also being used by fraudsters as an opportunity to scam people out of their hard-earned cash, and mobile phone customers are subject to increasingly sophisticated scams.”
Lisa Webb, Which? consumer law expert, said: “Fraudsters are always on the lookout for new ways to part people from their hard-earned cash and unfortunately, the Black Friday sales and World Cup are no exception.
“Scammers can easily set up fake websites, so if you see a good offer from a company you don’t know during the Black Friday sales, look online for reviews and do your research to make sure it’s genuine. Deals that look too good to be true often are.
“You should also be wary of any email or text messages out of the blue claiming you’ve won World Cup tickets – don’t click on any links or give any personal information.
“If you think you’ve paid money to a scammer, you should report this to your bank and Action Fraud. You may be able to claim back your money through the chargeback scheme if you used a debit card or use a Section 75 claim if you paid by credit card and the value was more than £100.”
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