Black Friday is now turning into Black Fraud Day as scammers are now using AI to scam shoppers. While D-day and Cyber Monday might be days away, it isn't stopping criminals and fraudsters from ripping off the innocent. Here's how many are now becoming the target of a data breach.
As reported by the Guardian, Britain’s cybersecurity chief has pointed out that the upcoming sales are “prime time” for thieves to get their way. Furthermore, this isn't the first time this is happening. Just last Christmas, residents in the UK lost a whopping £11.5m. And, the year before that, it was almost £10.5m.
The chief executive of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) claims scammers use "increasingly sophisticated scams"
As reported by the outlet, some of the most common tricks used to cheat people were fake clothing companies or other listings like tech. Per the company's official website, Tietoevry Banking’s defense center has already intervened in attempted fraud, with a projected value of about NOK 4 billion across Norway and Sweden.
According to The Guardian, Richard Horne, the chief executive of GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) claims the “prime time for cybercriminals” is just around the corner, and that scammers were “targeting bargain hunters with increasingly sophisticated scams, sometimes crafted using AI, making them harder to detect."
Furthermore, between November 2023 and January 2024, a whopping 16,000 reports were made relating to online ploys, and per the outlet, each target lost an average of £695. Moreover, about 43% of the reports made to Action Fraud cited a social media scam.
How to evade scam this Black Friday
Here are four things you need to keep an eye out for ahead of Black Friday, as reported by Fox59:
1) Fake ads online: It is advisable to be wary of social media ads, as sometimes, they may look genuine. However, it is just another trap. One example of this is a New Balance website online, where almost everything is at 80% off.
2) Sham websites: Phishing emails and some links available online will redirect you to websites that look too good to be true. This means it will resemble the original website it is replicating in almost every way, but it is important to verify closely. Sometimes, the link may look weird, or the website will ask for your personal and financial information. Hence, it is best to exercise caution.
3) Bogus gift cards: According to the outlet, fake gift cards are often a go-to trick for scammers as it is difficult to refund or track the same once the victim has fallen into the trap. In such cases, all it takes is one click for the scammers to get what they need. Hence, when it comes to purchasing gift cards, it's best to log onto the official websites to get what you need. Alternatively, you can buy them in-store.
4) Fake delivery alerts: The outlet also reports that last year, fake delivery alerts were booming. The victims receive an alert saying their parcel is stuck in the warehouse as they do not have enough information to deliver it. Once you click on the link provided to rectify the situation, the website steals all your personal information.
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It is highly advisable to exercise caution and be wary of all scams that may come your way. Happy shopping!
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