Tips to avoid online fraud and shop safely

Sales have begun, although the official date of Black Friday 2024 will be November 29, Italians (and not only) have already started clicking and shopping both online and in physical stores. A great opportunity for shoppers looking for great deals, especially when Christmas presents are just around the corner. Black Friday 2024, all the offers not to be missed: on Amazon TVs at -80%, Blazer from Zara at -40%, the Iphone 16 Pro from MediaWord and the Dyson V from Unieuro. “Scams are always lurking among SMS, emails and messages that invite you to click on unknown links or report the shipment of never-ordered packages or fake offers at rock-bottom prices,” warns U.Di.Con (Union for the Defense of the Consumers), which gives some tips for safe purchases, especially online, to avoid possible scams. Black Friday 2024: How to avoid fraud. How to take advantage of Black Friday promotions 2024 without falling into scams? The U.Di.Con guide “to shopping safely, recognizing and defending against online fraud, recognizing phishing attempts via email, telephone, SMS or spam messages on social media and dealing with online Shopping.” Pay attention to emails and text messages. Never open links in email or SMS messages that require you to enter personal or banking information, especially if it is urgent. “Banks and reliable companies will never ask you for this information or change the PIN or messages of packages in transit. No company will send messages from unknown or anonymous numbers without providing tracking numbers and order numbers. Look out for grammatical errors or blurry logos as these can also be signs of online fraud.” Payment and delivery methods. Be sure to avoid direct bank transfers unless you know the seller. Use secure and traceable payment methods. Also ensure that delivery times are reasonable and do not exceed 30 days. Reliability of the seller. The e-commerce you purchase from always needs to be checked by looking for feedback, reviews or other comments left by other consumers on various platforms. Always check the security of the website by looking at the lock icon and the “https” designation next to the URL, as well as company information such as VAT number, address and seller contact form. They also emphasize that the seller is not obliged to exchange if the product has no defects. So if you are unsure about the product, you should not proceed with the purchase. Beware of fake discounts. Before purchasing the discounted product, it is advisable to always check the actual selling price and therefore check whether the discount claimed by the seller is genuine. Never connect to public Wi-Fi to make purchases. Do not use public Wi-Fi networks for transactions, even via secure payment methods. Always use a protected network! Always stay informed about the latest scams. Visit the Postal Police or consumer association websites, which regularly provide information about current scams and give advice on how to avoid them.