Black Friday is always a big day for consumers because of huge discounts and sales. This is when businesses, mostly retailers, are the busiest because of the overwhelming number of purchases they receive. But, unfortunately, some people take advantage of it to profit off of deceiving unsuspecting shoppers. So, here are some Effective Ways to Avoid Black Friday Scams.
Scams are easier to pull off during a day like Black Friday because of the many discounts offered to shoppers. So it’s easy for them to get caught up in the fiasco that day which makes them vulnerable to scammers. From the most elaborate to the simplest schemes, fraud is something you should be wary of during a shopping spree as big as Black Friday.
Whether you’re shopping online or in a physical store, you should know how to stay away from fraudulent schemes. It’s your right to enjoy shopping while big discounts are available, and scams will rob you of that experience. Learn effective ways to avoid scams during your Black Friday shopping in this blog.
Follow basic scam protection tips
Scammers will always come up with new ideas to fool shoppers. However, most scams have a template that’s been around for as long as one can remember. Because of that, consumers have come up with ways to avoid scams that can be considered ‘golden rules’ when shopping.
One of them is that if a product or service’s price is too good to be true, it probably is. This is perfectly applicable for stuff you’ve purchased or paid for before. So if you’re unsure of a business’s pricing during Black Friday based on your references, verify it first.
Another golden rule to abide by is don’t give any personal information for no reason. Legitimate companies will never ask their customers to share bank details. They’re aware that information handling is critical because of the value it holds nowadays.
Mishandling customer information may be the starting point of inquiring how to start a class action lawsuit for many shoppers if a business isn’t careful. Know that any business would be glad to verify if they require their customers to disclose pertinent information.
Beware of gift card scams
Scams that use gift cards are becoming increasingly prevalent both online and in real life. Typically, scammers deceive shoppers into paying them using gift cards because they’re practically untraceable. However, many consumers will still choose to purchase gift cards because of the convenience they offer.
If you plan to shop on Black Friday using gift cards, only do it directly from stores. Inspect them carefully to prevent buying tampered ones. Another helpful tip is to purchase them online because scammers can’t steal information or tamper with them.
Think twice before accepting free offers
What can be more tempting besides low and affordable prices from discounts? Free offers. Many scammers are tempting shoppers with free offers, so you have to watch out for them since Black Friday is coming soon. Generally, scammers will email you with a fake offer of gift cards or payments in exchange for answering a customer survey.
It’s another form of phishing, wherein they instruct consumers to click on a link to visit a site they made. Once you’re on the website, you’ll be prompted to type in your banking details so they can steal them. These websites are customized to impersonate a company’s website; that’s why it’s better to verify free offers before clicking on any links you receive.
Read before you sign off on anything
Read everything carefully before buying. Black Friday discounts and sales can be too appealing that you forget to read important details about offers. A store may be scamming you right in your nose while you proceed to purchase an item from them, and you didn’t even know.
Make sure you read the terms and conditions of offers and deals you’re interested in. Exclusions and inclusions will differ depending on the brand and product or service they’re offering. Be sure that the discount they’re offering is legit because scammers will make it look like you got a great bargain when you actually didn’t.
Wrap up
Scams are terrible on any given day, but even more so during Black Friday. Practice verifying and critical thinking when looking for great deals to protect yourself from scammers as a shopper. Be ready to spot red flags to enjoy your Black Friday shopping experience.
