Stay Safe This Black Friday: Protect Your Deals from Cybercriminals

Black Friday, happening tomorrow, November 29, 2024, is an exciting time for shoppers looking for discounts. However, while we hunt for deals, cybercriminals are looking for opportunities to trick people.

During Black Friday, there is a big rise in online shopping, making it the perfect time for cybercriminals to launch scams. One common tactic is phishing, which is sending fake emails or messages pretending to be from trusted companies. These emails might offer "limited-time deals," fake shipping updates, or ask for payment details. Criminals also create fake websites with names similar to real ones, hoping shoppers won’t notice small mistakes in the web address.

Most cybercrime happens because of human mistakes. Many people fall for social engineering tricks, where criminals use psychological tactics to steal personal information or access accounts. For example, phishing tricks people into sharing their passwords or bank details by creating urgency or fear in messages.

How to Stay Safe While Shopping Online

Here are tips on how to protect yourself while shopping online:

1.?Be Careful with Links: Don’t click on links from unknown or suspicious emails. Instead, go directly to the store’s website by typing its address into your browser.

2.?Check Payment Security: Make sure the site you’re shopping on uses secure payment methods. Look for "https" in the website address or a padlock icon in the browser bar before entering your details.

3.?Think Twice About Amazing Offers: If a deal looks too good to be true, it might be a scam. Search online to check if the retailer or deal is real.

4. Protect Your Social Media: Reduce the amount of personal information you share online. Cybercriminals often use details from social media to create targeted scams.

5. Use Strong Passwords: Create unique passwords for your shopping accounts and store them in a safe place, like a password manager.

6.?Enable Two-Factor Authentication (2FA): Use 2FA for extra security on your accounts. This makes it harder for criminals to log in, even if they have your password.

7.?Update Your Devices: Keep your phone, apps, and antivirus software up to date. Updates fix security issues that hackers might use to attack.

Cybercriminals don’t only target individual shoppers, businesses are at risk too, especially during high-traffic periods like Black Friday. Companies must take steps to safeguard their operations by training employees to recognise and avoid common scams.

To improve cybersecurity within the organisation, it is essential to educate employees on best practices. This can be achieved by providing training sessions that teach them how to identify phishing emails, recognise suspicious links, and report any unusual activity to the IT team. Additionally, securing company systems, websites, and payment platforms is crucial by implementing the latest security measures such as encryption and firewalls. Monitoring employee access to sensitive data is also important, restricting access to those who need it and ensuring that employees use strong passwords and two-factor authentication for their company accounts will significantly reduce security risks.

By empowering employees with knowledge, companies can reduce the risk of cyberattacks and keep their operations safe during this busy period.

By following these tips and staying alert, both shoppers and businesses can enjoy Black Friday safely. Protecting personal and company information should always be a priority, even while chasing the best deals.

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Sources: IOL, Carnegie Mellon University, RSM

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