over 7 years ago
With Black Friday just around the corner, are you aware of the risks of online scammers ready to take advantage of discount-hungry shoppers?
Last year shoppers in Britain spent 2 billion pounds online and in stores in just 24 hours. And an extortionate 3.3 billion over the whole weekend.
Which? Is also encouraging consumers to do their research into potentially fraudulent websites before making online purchases. They stated that individuals and businesses reported losing almost £16.5m through online shopping and auction fraud last Christmas, according to figures released by Action Fraud.
It's estimated that almost four times as many UK consumers are intending to shop online this Black Friday compared with in 2014. With this huge increase in online shoppers on this discount crazy day, fraudsters will be out there in hoards, taking advantage of shoppers so do your research and if you’re not sure, don’t buy!
An easy way of checking if a website is fraudulent is by checking the URL of the website. It may look like a close copy of a genuine retailer or may contain a recognisable name. URL’s that end in .net or .org are rarely genuine retailers according to Which?.
Another way to stay safe is by paying for goods online with a credit card. If you don’t receive your purchased item or if the item is faulty, Section 75 of the Consumer Rights Act means you are able to claim your money back if the cost of the item was over £100. For purchases of under £100 or debit card payments you can ask your bank to recover the money through “chargeback”.
So enjoy Black Friday and its fantastic deals out there, but remember to not get too caught up in the frenzy and be aware of the potential risks! If there are products that you already have in mind, check their prices before Black Friday so you know how much you will really be saving!