Experts caution online shoppers against Black Friday scams

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As the festival season shopping gathers momentum, some information and communication technology experts have cautioned online Black Friday shoppers against some websites to avoid being victims of digital shopping scams.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja that, though popular Black Friday deals were about getting the best deals, scammers could take advantage of it to defraud unsuspecting shoppers.

Though initially Black Friday sales were massive discounts offered by retailers on the Friday after U.S. Thanksgiving, has become associated with shopping ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities.

They said it was therefore imperative for shoppers to take necessary measures to protect themselves from digital predators.

Tobi David, one of the respondents, urged shoppers to adhere to expert warnings and practice safe digital shopping habits.

“Shoppers and retailers are up against polished phishing sites and fake emails that successfully blur the line between legitimate and fraudulent communication,’’ he said.

He said cyber-threats that mimicking black Friday deals have evolved beyond the misspelled emails of the past, due to easily accessible AI tools.

He said scams have assumed a new and sophisticated dimension, making it harder to distinguish between a real deal and a fake.

As a solution, he urged shoppers to verify the website address and always type the seller’s website address directly into their browser instead of clicking links.

“Look for HTTPS encryption, a secure site should display the padlock symbol in the address bar.

“Cybercriminals can easily create websites and emails that appear to be from legitimate businesses. Don’t simply follow links from emails—rather, go directly to the retailer’s website.

“ Check that the online retailer is using a secure payment gateway and that the site URL begins with ‘https’ and not ‘http,’ he advised.

He urged shoppers to remain sceptical of unsolicited offers, especially those shared via email or social media.

Ann Chukwu, a secondary school Economics teacher, said that phishing emails promising `special Black Friday discounts` are flooding various spam messages and inboxes, often leading to malware downloads or stolen data.

She said that with online sales discounts of up to 30-50% given to shoppers during the sale window, millions of consumers flock online in search of better deals, thereby exposing themselves to fraudulent activities.

“There are reports that fake retail websites have surged by more than 200%, many of them designed to mimic trusted platforms such as Konga, Jumia, and international ones like Temu,’’ she said.

Rafia Sule, an online seller of garments, said Black Friday is no longer just about chasing bargains but also about shoppers protecting themselves from digital predators.

She cautioned that the excitement of discounts should not blind consumers to the reality that cybercriminals are lurking behind many “too-good-to-be-true” offers.

“ Consumers and retailers must strengthen their defenses, but ultimately, shoppers must adopt the mindset of caution and skepticism,” she said.

(NAN)

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