Beware of getting scammed during Black Friday & Cyber Monday SALE!!

 

As holiday shoppers gear up for a shopping spree on Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s important to be on alert to protect yourself from getting scammed. Here are few tips to help you enjoy a carefree and scam free holiday shopping season:

Do not get tricked by similar looking websites and brand URLs

Shopping season is an active time for scammers to send out fraudulent emails. Scammers often use variants of popular brands and online shopping sites, to trick online shoppers into revealing personal details or visit fake websites. Thus, to ensure a safe online shopping, it is advisable to type the URL of the desired retailer directly into the web browser and be absolutely careful about your typos.

 

Look for hidden charges & misleading bargains in SALE

Often times, the price of items tagged under “SALE” are already marked up and you are simply mislead to buy it at “sale” price (which is actually the original price of item). In fact, the prices may be higher than the original price of that same item in some other season. In addition, hidden charges like delivery charges may not be part of the “sale” price and you actually end up buying the item at a cost equal to or higher than its original price.

 

Check refund & return policies

It is extremely important that you carefully read the terms and conditions of refund and return, before you purchase an item during the sale days of Black Friday & Cyber Monday. Many stores fail to post their refund/return policies for items available under sale and then later you have no option left, even if the item proves out to be defective.

 

Stay away from too-good-to-be-true discounts and contests

As much as you may be tempted to participate in too-good-to-be-true-contests promoted through social media posts or suspicious emails, be absolutely wary of such contests. Most often, these scams are designed simply to collect your personal information or shell out your money. So, avoid promotions or contests that require you to make a financial transaction or pay money.

 

Use only secured internet connections for shopping

While you may get carried away with the amazing deals and discounts on offer during Black Friday & Cyber Monday, take care to shop only on secured internet connections that begin with begin with https:// instead of the usual https://.