A significant weekend of shopping is approaching, as Black Friday 2025 is set to start on November 28. This annual event is famous for offering substantial discounts on various products like tech gadgets, fashion items, and home appliances, making it an excellent opportunity to score great deals and save money. However, it is also a high-risk period for fraudulent activities.
Cybercriminals are notorious for taking advantage of the Black Friday frenzy, using various deceptive tactics to target unsuspecting shoppers. To combat the rising online threats, UK network O2 has issued a cautionary alert, and Amazon has also issued an important warning.
In an email sent to users and reviewed by Mirror Online, Amazon emphasized the need to be cautious during the busy shopping season. The company highlighted the importance of recognizing impersonation scams, where scammers pose as trusted entities to extract sensitive information like personal details, financial data, or Amazon account credentials.
Amazon outlined several red flags to watch out for during Black Friday. These include receiving fake delivery notifications, being prompted to update your shopping account, or being pressured to address non-existent issues. Falling victim to these schemes could lead to the inadvertent disclosure of highly confidential information, which scammers can exploit for financial gain or unauthorized account access.
According to Amazon, prevalent scams in November involve deceptive messages about delivery or account issues, misleading social media posts from third parties promoting unrealistically good deals, and unauthorized requests for passwords or payment details through unofficial channels. Another common tactic is sending deceptive links that prompt customers to verify their account credentials on bogus websites.
Amazon cautioned that it never requests customers to verify their account credentials via email. As a precautionary measure for the upcoming shopping days, Amazon has shared five guidelines for safe online shopping practices:
– Utilize the Amazon mobile app or website for all shopping needs and inquiries.
– Be aware that Amazon will never ask for payment information over the phone.
– Consider enabling 2-step verification for added account security.
– Use a passkey for secure sign-ins and avoid falling for urgency-driven scams.
– Shop only on official websites like Amazon.co.uk to avoid scams and only click on trusted links.
Stay vigilant while seeking Black Friday discounts and avoid engaging with unsolicited text or email messages. Be cautious of any sudden offers and refrain from clicking on unfamiliar links to prevent falling prey to fraudulent schemes.
