Find out how to dodge scams on Black Friday

As traditional as Black Friday’s tempting discounts are the scams and frauds applied at this time, which cause losses and turn consumer dreams into nightmares.

With an expected increase of up to 52% in these practices compared to 2020, according to analysts, consultants and consumer protection agencies, it is necessary to take some precautions not to fall into robbery and enjoy the offers with peace of mind.

The first rule of thumb to not fall into traps is to doubt promotions that look too good. In these cases, the saying goes: “when alms are too much, the saint is suspicious.” The message is from Procon-SP, which sees the number of complaints this month grow every year.

In last year’s edition alone, more than 1,912 cases of problems with purchases were attended to. In the list of the most frequent complaints registered by the agency, discount makeup is one of the first.

This is the situation known as “paying half double”, which occurs when the advertised discount is not real. There are also situations in which the advertised price changes at checkout, which can happen both in face-to-face and online stores.

Completing the group of champion complaints for 2020: delay or non-delivery; orders canceled after checkout; product or service unavailable; delivery of a product other than the one purchased, or delivery of an incomplete or damaged product.

Discontent with commercial establishments is monitored by Procon-SP, but the consumer is still subject to falling into others stolen, ranging from indebtedness to losses resulting from fraud and scams applied by third parties, especially in transactions carried out via the internet.

A ranking of irregularities and risks for the consumer was also carried out by the Opinion Box institute in partnership with Serasa, and shows misleading advertising as the most common occurrence, cited by 60% of the 2,608 respondents.

The survey was carried out in the first week of this month, in the five regions of the country. Then come scams in the purchase and sale of products (42%), misuse of credit or debit card data (40%), and criminal use of WhatsApp (37%).

One of the most effective ways to avoid headaches and regrets is not to buy on impulse. Procon-SP advises citizens to analyze their budget, reflect on whether they really need the product they want to buy, check their bills and consider whether it’s worth spending their money or even getting into debt.

If you decide to purchase something, the tip is to research and compare prices and discounts at different stores, or through websites that do this service, such as ConfieAqui, Buscapé, Já Cotei and Promobit, among others.

Those who prefer to take advantage of the offers in person need to be aware of the number of people inside the stores, to avoid crowding and theft. It is important to check if the products and values ​​registered at the checkout correspond to what is being purchased.

When paying, if the option is the credit or debit card, before entering the password, check that the total shown on the machine is the same as that informed by the cashier. The ideal is not to hand the card over to the store employee, but if that happens, checking if the returned card is really yours is mandatory.

Consumers who choose to buy online need to redouble their attention even before “entering” stores. “The shopping page should not be accessed from links found on other sites, posted on social networks or received by email”, says Renato Tocaxelli, cybersecurity specialist at Trend Micro, which offers internet security solutions.

“To shop securely online, the mindset has to be ‘zero confidence.’ , he explains.

It says that the website’s URL, the link or address that opens the page in the browser, beginning with www or http://, helps to identify if it is trustworthy. “The safest sites, with a digital certificate and that have no technical issues, including registration, are those in which the http in the URL is added with an ‘s’, leaving https”, he explains.

“In this browser bar, when a padlock appears before the URL, it is another indication that there is a certain level of security, but that alone is not enough”, he teaches. Tocaxelli also explains that it is important to have an up-to-date antivirus program both on the computer and on the cell phone, even if it is free, as this type of software analyzes devices in real time, and triggers alerts when it finds risks.

Cautions when buying online are valid throughout the year

Although they need to be intensified during Black Friday, the precautions related to shopping on the internet are worth the entire year. One piece of advice that is always remembered by experts in technology, security and consumer protection is the need to change passwords for websites and applications periodically, every 45 or 60 days.

They must not coincide with those of personal and bank emails, cannot repeat combinations used previously, nor follow a numerical sequence or construction pattern, as all this is, today, easily identified by means of artificial intelligence.

A tip to use shopping sites without fear is, when registering as a customer, fill in only the mandatory information. Reading the company’s privacy code and exchange and returns policy can also avoid problems.

“The most common frauds today are hacking computers, cell phones and profiles into instant messaging systems, through social networks and applications. The objective is always to steal users’ data, and then use it to impersonate them in illegal activities,” says Tocaxelli.

The expert advises consumers to erase all unused apps from their smartphones and only shop online on private wifi networks. “Public networks, from college, shopping or work, can be used for research, never for shopping, because they are easier to be contaminated.”

Paying for purchases also presents risks, so it is necessary to pay attention to some details: if the option is the credit card, the order is never to save the card data on the website or application and, preferably, use the “card virtual”, which is temporary and can be obtained from the pages of most banks and financial institutions.

If payment by bank slip is chosen, the consumer must check the name of the company that appears in it as beneficiary and the CNPJ informed. This data is usually informed at the bottom of the website’s homepage. With Pix, care is the same: before entering the password, it is necessary to check the recipient’s information.

Most consumer traps can be avoided with more attention, care, and common sense. Therefore, the main recommendation of experts and consumer protection services is always “trust with suspicion”.