24 November, 2022
Black Friday Scammers
The Queensland Police Service (QPS) have issued a warning about the influx of Black Friday sale email and SMS scams targeting unsuspecting shoppers from November 25 to 28.
The Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales mark the start of the online shopping season, whilst also presenting the perfect opportunity for cybercriminals to take advantage of online shoppers.
Scammers may use email, text messages or social media to try and trick online shoppers into revealing account information or financial details.
QPS encourages shoppers to keep the following in mind:
1. Shop with reputable retailers and online stores.
2. If you find a bargain, do not rush onto the payment page without looking at the rest of the website and checking the URL.
3. Make sure payment details are encrypted – look for prefix “https” in the URL and a padlock icon in the URL bar and use a secure payment method. Pay by PayPal or credit/debit card.
4. Avoid engaging with unexpected shopping and shipping messages.
