Even though Black Friday deals have been doing the rounds for weeks now, tomorrow is the official day, and there will be some good deals to be had (if you really need the item that is), but there will also be some very bad ones…
Action Fraud, the national reporting centre for fraud and cyber-crime, said that scam online shopping “bargains”, cost shoppers £15.4m during the Christmas period last year, with each victim losing an average of £538.
So if you’re on the lookout for a bargain, here’s what you should look out for, BEFORE you click on the buy button.
1) Stick to well-known online retailers.
2) Don’t be pressured into the time countdown tactics, in that you’ll get a massive discount if you buy within a certain time period.
3) Make sure the website is secure by checking the prefix has https or shows a lock before the website address. But even if the website is secure, it doesn’t mean the goods and website is genuine.
4) Read the reviews for a product. And if you find a lot of customer reviews dated within a short time period, stay well clear.
5) And lastly; if you think a bargain is too good to be true, it probably is.
Wish you a pleasant shopping experience.
P.S. If you’ve already been scammed online, call Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit their website here.
P.P.S. It’s also worth keeping in mind, that very often you’ll find the pricing to be cheaper at other times of the year.
