Christmas is approaching, gifts need to be bought, and time is short. Black Friday 2023 comes at a time when most people are starting to prepare for the Christmas season, and there are those who are already starting to take advantage of the promotions that are currently circulating throughout the digital universe. Black Friday, in addition to attracting merchants and consumers, also attracts cybercriminals, and to avoid identity and banking data theft, we listen to two experts as they explain how to protect yourself when shopping online.
“The Black Friday and Cyber Monday period, with various online campaigns and discount offers, is an opportunity to get great deals, but it is also one of the most opportune times for cybercriminals to launch attacks,” explains Isabelle Baptista, coordinator. Department of Development and Innovation of the National Cyber Security Center.
According to the Bank of Portugal’s latest report on payment systems, “phishing” was the most common online scam in Portugal in 2022. This type of crime, in which a criminal pretends to be a legitimate person to lure people into handing over personal information, is carried out via email. . Additionally, “phishing” is the most common crime in 2022 and is the most practiced scheme during times like Black Friday due to its difficulty for users to detect. In addition to “phishing”, there is “smishing” – the same type of fraud, but through SMS.
“Black Friday attracts more scams because people are more attentive to promotions, they are also more likely to receive SMS and emails from stores and certain websites and automatically click on links. They often do not pay attention whether the message actually comes from a known address or not,” emphasizes José Gonçalves, senior systems engineer at Exclusive Networks Portugal.
To prevent Black Friday from becoming a headache, morning Post spoke with two cybersecurity experts who give 10 tips so you can take advantage of this discount season and avoid becoming a victim of scams.
No. 1. Always use virtual cards when shopping online.
When making payments online, it is always recommended to create mbway cards or virtual cards to avoid card cloning and unwanted transactions by fraudsters. “Nowadays, it is quite normal for people because they want to take advantage of a promotion and enter their credit card details without paying attention to whether the site is legit or not. Creating one-time cards with a limited amount of money is a simple and practical way to prevent identity theft,” explains José Gonçalves.
Another practice before making a payment is to understand whether the value presented to you makes sense. According to Isabel Baptista, you should “be careful when paying due to possible additional fees” and always keep proof of payment.
No. 2 Pay attention to advertising SMS that contains an external link.
José Gonçalves reminds us to pay attention to external links sent from numbers posing as companies or shipping companies asking you to access the link so that personal information can be updated, for example so that you can receive a purported order.
#3 Use known computers that are protected by security systems such as antivirus.
To shop online, you need to use a personal or professional computer or mobile phone. Business computers and cell phones always have a security system that can detect illegal items and prevent the user from accessing any website that is not trustworthy. If the technology used is personal, José Gonçalves recommends investing in an antivirus. The expert also warns about the illegitimacy of free antiviruses.
#4 Pay attention to text and voice messages received through the WhatsApp application.
Understanding whether the number from which the message is being sent actually belongs to someone or a known organization is the first step to understanding whether the discount presented is genuine. Making a call outside of the app is one of the solutions to detect any type of scams coming from WhatsApp. Remember the latest and controversial crime in this app called “Hello Father, Hello Mom”. According to the PSP, from September 2022 to January 2023, 1,205 complaints were filed.
No. 5. Use certain Internet sites to ensure that the address provided is trustworthy.
According to expert Jose Gonçalves, there are some online sites that determine the level of legitimacy after the user submits the email displayed in the received message or on the site.
No. 6. View comments about the website and the products it sells.
In addition to understanding whether the fabric of the clothing you want to buy is good or whether the price of the product is truly competitive, in the comments scattered throughout the online universe, you can also understand whether the website in question is trustworthy or whether there have been any posts of cybercrime victims. “We have to filter and identify negative comments ourselves,” emphasizes the Exclusive Networks Portugal specialist.
It is necessary to “research, compare and learn about the seller,” emphasizes Isabelle Baptista of the National Cyber Security Center.
#7 Call the contact and go to the physical store if such information is available on the website.
After browsing the website of the brand that has given you a can’t-miss discount, you need to confirm the organization’s personal details, which should usually be displayed on the online page. In addition to checking the trust level of the email, you should also call and find out who is answering on the other end, and if there is a location indicating the physical store or headquarters of the company in question, you should go to that address. to try to understand if the information is correct. Specialist Isabel Baptista also stresses the importance of carefully reading the exchange and return policies of online stores, as this could jeopardize a possible good deal.
#8 Don’t trust publications and advertisements just because they appear on social networks
Most people think that if there are advertisements, it is because the site is guaranteed to be trustworthy. João Gonçalves guarantees that this is not the case: “Many people think that if it appears on Instagram, it must be a legitimate website. It is not true. It’s just a matter of advertising. You need to check all the information on the site. Web site.”
#9 Pay attention to symbols in links
A link from a well-known brand is usually represented by symbols that immediately identify the entity, and if among the symbols that form the link one appears that does not make sense, this is a reason to pay attention. “Some special and strange symbols may appear in the text formatting and at this time, with such a bustle, when people are already thinking about Christmas and want to take advantage of promotions, it is natural that this goes unnoticed and they go to the website created with the purpose of collecting personal information,” emphasizes José Gonçalves.
No. 10. Always be suspicious of goods whose price is significantly lower than the market price.
One strategy to attract consumers and gain access to personal and banking data is to set prices significantly lower than other stores and companies. Cybercriminals know that low prices that cannot be achieved on other commercial platforms are often irresistible to consumers who act on impulse and do not think about the underlying risks they face when purchasing online.
If everything goes wrong and you are caught in a cyber crime, the first step is to contact the organizations responsible for your banking details and cancel or suspend the credit card you are using. Having realized that there will be no more unwanted transactions, the next step is to call the authorities and report the situation. Once a complaint is made to GNR, PJ or PSP, removal of the fraudulent website does not occur immediately. In addition to reporting the situation to the authorities, Isabel Baptista recommends contacting Linha Internet Segura by email ([email protected]) or toll-free number (800 21 90 90).
Author: Ana Sofia Pinto This Katarina Cruz
Source: CM Jornal
I’m Dave Martin, and I’m an experienced journalist working in the news industry. As a part of my work, I write for 24 News Reporters, covering mostly sports-related topics. With more than 5 years of experience as a journalist, I have written numerous articles on various topics to provide accurate information to readers.