The biggest shopping weekend of the year - Black Friday/Cyber Monday - falls on 24th/27th Nov this year. Millions of us will use the opportunity to bag a bargain ahead of Christmas, as retailers discount their products both in store and online.
With one in 17 adults falling victim to fraud over the past year, we know that scammers will look to exploit this spending behaviour, trying to siphon as much of that money into their own pockets as possible.
Here are a few reasons why the risk of scams will increase over the Black Friday/Cyber Monday period, and tips on how to protect yourself:
1. Scam messages can hide in plain sight more easily
Think of all the email messages, texts, and ads you’ll see from retailers. Scammers will sneak in amongst these with their malicious content by impersonating brands. They’ll offer fake/counterfeit goods, and try and get you to click on links that lead to fake websites or pages that steal credentials.
ACTION YOU CAN TAKE:
- Pause and take a breath to slow down any knee-jerk reactions – then, take a moment to check the email again. Things like the sender details, whether the tone or context of the email seems correct for that sender, if there are any emotionally manipulating elements triggering a feeling of urgency, or if an action is being asked for… It might be a good idea to find another way to validate the email (via a separate check to the company website, or a phone call, for instance).
m Do not click on any links or attachments until you are certain the communication is genuine. There are very few instances where an email or text message requires an instantaneous response from you, so take the time to slow down and really check for red flags – especially during such a busy shopping period!
2. AI tools will increase the sophistication, as well as the number, of scams
The rise of AI tools means that:
More attacks can be deployed in higher numbers by more people – even those with little technical know-how
- AI language systems such as ChatGPT can create content, messages, sites and even ads with good spelling, grammar and formatting, so we can no longer rely on spotting scams by obvious English errors. These tools can also be used to increase ‘search engine optimisation’ (meaning that a malicious website could appear high in search results, increasing the likelihood that it would seem legitimate – or even sit above a genuine website!)
- Our data can be harnessed more effectively to create very compelling ‘spear phishing’ attacks. This is when a specific person or group is targeted using information about, or of interest to the target – which makes the messages appear more trustworthy. These can happen across email, text, WhatsApp, and any other messaging platform.
ACTION YOU CAN TAKE:
- Slow down! Most errors are made when we take fast action. Take a moment to stop and reassess before taking any action – especially if you feel an emotional change as a result of a message (urgency, fear, a worry about missing out, excitement about a ‘deal’ etc)
- If you do click on a link and a site asks you for any login or personal or financial details, stop! Think before you enter any information. Once you have clicked the ‘submit’ button, it might be too late.
- If you are worried you have been involved in a scam, don’t ignore it – criminals often rely on their victims feeling a sense of shame, but this should never be the case! Reset any passwords you may have disclosed, and contact your bank or financial adviser through their verified contact details if you are worried that your financial data may have been impacted.
