Navigating Black Friday Scams Like a Pro

While you’re snagging discounts, cybercriminals are waiting to trick you with spoofed sites, phishing messages, and fake confirmations.

Amazon warned of a spike in scams: fake messages, impersonation attempts, and bogus checkout pages. Shoppers should also be aware of other common tactics like fake stores, malicious checkout scripts, and counterfeit shopping apps, which continue to circulate during the holiday shopping season.

These scams don't just steal money, they can lead to identity theft, ruined credit, and major stress. Shoppers may lose trust in brands, and even well known websites can be compromised through plugins or malicious scripts.

Magecart Attacks

Magecart attacks are a type of web-based digital skimming operation (also known as formjacking or e-skimming) used to steal sensitive customer data, particularly payment card information, from online checkout pages.

Magecart attacks silently collect your credit card info via infected checkout pages. Victims often don’t realize it until the damage is done. Even major online retailers can be hit if their third party scripts are compromised.

Brand Skimming

Brand skimming, or price skimming, is a pricing strategy where a company sets a high initial price for a new product to maximize profits from early adopters and then gradually lowers the price over time to attract more price-sensitive customers.

Fake websites mimic trusted retailers. One wrong click, and you’re handing over cash to a scammer. These clones often use nearly identical branding and domains to trick even savvy shoppers.

Takeaway

As you embrace the excitement of Black Friday shopping, remember that awareness is your best defense. Scams are more sophisticated than ever, blending seamlessly into emails, websites, and apps that look almost identical to the real thing. Stick to trusted sources, double check the links before you click, and be cautious with too-good-to-be-true offers.

Enabling two-factor authentication and using secure payment methods adds a layer of protection that makes all the difference. With a few mindful steps, you can enjoy the thrill of the hunt without falling into a trap.

Stay safe out there

-Mars

New Funnies

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What’s a shopper’s favorite workout on Black Friday?

Cart-pushing cardio.

I don't run marathons, I run toward the TV aisle.

Why did the checkout page freeze?

It saw your bank balance.

Why did the baby get a flatscreen?

Because the stroller crossed the finish line first.

I bought a treadmill on Black Friday. Now I just need motivation… and a refund.