Public told to watch out for scam artists as bargain day approaches
CONOR FEEHAN
Gardaí are warning shoppers on the hunt for Black Friday and Cyber
Monday bargains to be vigilant about scammers.
The Black Friday phenomenon in which retailers slash their prices
straight after Thanksgiving - which falls on the fourth Thursday in
November - has spread from the US in recent years, with shops now
expanding it to cover a whole week.
The same can be said for the online version Cyber Monday, which falls
the Monday after Thanksgiving.
Online shopping always has its risks, such as card details being
compromised or counterfeit goods being purchased, but with seasonal
trends like Black Friday and Cyber Monday, people can sometimes let
their guard down when being tempted by a bargain.
Detective Superintendent Michael Cryan of the Garda National Economic
Crime Bureau said there are a few steps a person can take to protect
themselves - and the first is for a shopper to ensure they are on a
secure website.
"If you use an unsecure site, you might get nothing, you might get
counterfeit goods, or you might get something which is totally different
to what you paid for and you would have no consumer rights whatsoever.
Your money is gone. It's as simple as that," he said.
Det Supt Cryan said shoppers should look for the letters 'https' and a
padlock symbol at the start of a web address when they are paying for
something.
"When you go on to a website, check the reviews, check the ratings,
check the contact details, because most of the unsecure ones won't have
contact details where you can ring," he said.
He also advised people to avoid websites where you need to transfer
money from one account to another, or to an online bank to pay for
something, or any website that asks you to pay in iTunes vouchers.
Using a service such as PayPal or another secure payment intermediary is
a safer way of shopping if you have not used a certain site before.
Det Supt Cryan said people should be wary of any site that does not
offer such secure payment services.
"We would advise as well where you see an ad or a link on social media
offering something at a very reduced rate to be very careful before you
commit to buy," he said.
Det Supt Cryan also had some advice for retailers during the festive season.
"For the retailers, you need to know your customers well, and you need
to have a safe payment method and keep your data secure," he said.
"For example, if you are selling whiskey and you suddenly get a purchase
of 100 bottles of your most expensive whiskey and you've never ever
dealt with this person before, you need to start doing your due
diligence on it.
"Do your checks and train your staff. It's just about being careful,
being wary, and just not to jump into things."
Irish Independent
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