Black Friday sales could be a scam

Black Friday and Cyber Monday mark the arrival of the holiday season, where consumers feel "practically" obliged to spend and purchase. In recent years, more and more people have changed their shopping habits, moving from physical stores to online shopping to save time and take advantage of a greater number of offers. However, despite the convenience, recent studies show that online shopping is becoming increasingly risky due to the proliferation of fake sites and scams related to shopping. Recent research from NordVPN has highlighted a significant increase in attempts by consumers to access fraudulent sites during the holiday season. The mechanism of these scams is often subtle: many sites try to impersonate well-known brands, deceiving users through small URL alterations. For example, they might substitute one letter in the brand name, changing from “Amazon” to “Arnazon”. In moments of sales frenzy, it is very easy to miss these small differences, especially because the design of fake sites is often almost identical to the original.

According to NordVPN, last year almost 34 million Americans fell victim to online scams over Black Friday weekend. In Italy, in 2023, 3 million online scams related to sales were reported, equating to one in four Italians. Nevertheless, YouGov reported that this year, 49% of Italians plan to shop for Black Friday, while 19% are interested in finding great deals during Cyber Monday, indicating that despite the growing risks, the allure of promotions remains strong among consumers. Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity consultant at NordVPN, states that with the advent of artificial intelligence, cybercriminals can create scam sites much more quickly, easily, and effectively. The ultimate goal of these scams is to collect sensitive data to then use the credit cards and bank accounts of unsuspecting customers. In the worst cases, the purchased products don’t even exist, leaving customers empty-handed and out of pocket.

Warmenhoven points out that online tools can help with protection, but it’s crucial to learn to recognize the “red flags” of these sites even without technological support. Among the warning signs are the absence of a physical address, a phone number, or a contact email. It is also important to check the terms and conditions and the site's privacy policy to ensure it provides clear information regarding returns, refunds, and shipping. Furthermore, the payment methods can be a significant indicator: if a site offers unusual options such as bank transfers, cryptocurrencies, or gift cards, it could be a scam. In general, it’s always worth remembering that if the offers are excessively "absurd", there's a reason why.