Guard your wallet - stay safe while shopping online this Black Friday

While retailers and stores are gearing up for Black Friday and the Festive Season, so are the fraudsters!

According to a local social survey by PayPal, 23% of respondents perceived payment security as a concern and challenge when buying goods through overseas online stores.

Mark Mwongela, Sales Development Director of PayPal Africa says that this could be an indication to a concerning level of 'consumer numbness'.

He says: "Thanks to its ease and simplicity, online shopping has become second nature to many consumers. This in itself has resulted in consumers often not thinking twice before clicking on the check-out button or payment link. This is surprising given the near daily news of security and privacy breaches, and suggests that consumers are becoming numb to the threats to their personal data.”

While retailers and stores are gearing up for Black Friday and the Festive Season, so are the fraudsters!

These are the latest scams to be aware of.

Phishing emails

These emails trick consumers into sharing personal information such as passwords, account and credit card details.

If you find yourself in this situation:

• Double click on the sender’s address to ascertain if the email address is legitimate – false accounts typically have addresses that consists of a string of numbers and letters.

• Never click on any links or dial any number contained in such an email.

Fake social media brand adverts

Fraudsters have been known to use deceptive advertisements on social media platforms, to dupe consumers into buying goods at a discounted price from a false website.

The websites are usually an exact replica of the legitimate brand's website.

How to avoid it:

• If you find a too-good-to-be-true deal, search for the official social media page of the brand and click through to their website – if you can't find the deal there, it's most-likely a scam.

• If you have made a purchase and are weary about the site's legitimacy, wait for an 'order confirmation' email. If you receive one, it's legitimate – if you don't, notify your bank immediately to reverse the payment.

“We urge frequent online shoppers to familiarise themselves with the safety processes and protection offered by their payment method. PayPal’s purchase protection, as an example, let’s PayPal users request a refund if they never received the item or if it showed up significantly different from its description,” says Mwongela.

If you have noticed a scam or suspect that you might have fallen victim to one, immediately contact your bank to report the fraud and to block your cards.

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