The Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping event is about to begin! This weekend, millions of eager shoppers will jump online to snatch deals around the world in the most coveted global sales event. We’re excited, but before your eyes light up at the mass of alluring offers, make sure to stay alert and know what to look for to avoid being let down by a tricky scam site.

We went through how to avoid a scam on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Now let’s look at our top 5 Black Friday sale red flags to watch out for as you snap up a bargain online. These will help you avoid a fake website, a dodgy deal, or a phishing scam.

🚩 There are WAY too many irrelevant 5-star reviews

If the website is flooded with glowing reviews flashing 5-stars every time, chances are they are fake. Scammers want their products to look desirable and attempt to make the product appear reliable and well-received. In reality, they are simply hoping their victims will be wowed with an overwhelming amount of 5-star reviews and not think twice.

🚩 Only strange payment methods are accepted

This is a BIG red flag: NEVER pay via direct transfer or cryptocurrency. If the online store only accepts unfamiliar payment methods such as wire transfer, cash apps, or cryptocurrency, this is a good indication the website is less than legitimate.

🚩 There are no valid contact details

Have a look for any contact details. It may be a dodgy website if the only details you can find are a Gmail email address or the only way to get in touch is via a contact form.

A good step to take in checking the legitimacy of a company online is to look up their address on Google Maps. If their warehouse or headquarters address takes you to a house in the suburbs, you can be confident this address is fake and likely not linked to the company at all.

On the flip side, you may find that there are absolutely no contact details, forms, or addresses to be found! This is a red flag as it indicates they do not want to be contacted or discovered. Chances are, it is a scam website and the cybercriminals do not want to hear from you when your purchase does not arrive.

🚩 You are asked for overly-detailed personal info

If you get to the checkout and are hit with a lot of personal details to fill out, this could be the beginning of a phishing scam. You should only need to provide minimal details when making a purchase through a legitimate site including your payment details (NOT your banking password, security questions, or PINs), a shipping address, and brief personal info such as your first and last name and a phone number or email to contact you if they need.

🚩 The prices are inflated and unbelievably reduced

This is an easy trick to make victims feel like they are getting an AMAZING deal. In reality, this product does not even exist for this store. Scammers will list a hot item in stock such as the new PS5 and show an inflated ‘original’ price slashed with a crazy discount to entice potential buyers with a big saving and cheaper-than-anywhere-else pricetag.

Do your research before you purchase: what do well-known stores such as JB HI-FI or Big W price the item at? Is it realistic for this store to have the hot item in stock? Is there a more reputable store I can purchase from?

Walk away…

If you come across these red flags on your hunt for a bargain, we recommend playing it safe and looking for a different store with a reliable reputation. Spending your money on a potentially dangerous website is not worth the risk. The few extra dollars to purchase from a well-known store gives you the security your details will be utilised securely and safely, and that your package should actually arrive as you expect.

Is there anything else you’d like to know about Black Friday scams? Ask all your questions on our LinkedIn or Facebook.