A significant weekend of shopping awaits as Black Friday 2025 commences tomorrow, November 28. This annual event is renowned for offering substantial discounts on a wide range of products including tech gadgets, fashion items, and household appliances. It presents a great opportunity for consumers to grab deals and save money. However, it is also a period where fraudulent activities peak.
Cybercriminals are notorious for taking advantage of the Black Friday frenzy to target unsuspecting shoppers with various deceptive tactics. In efforts to combat these scams, UK provider O2 recently issued a cautionary alert regarding the increasing online threats. Amazon has also joined in by issuing a significant warning to its users.
In an email sent to customers, Amazon highlighted the importance of being vigilant during the busy shopping season and shared tips to identify impersonation scams, where scammers pose as trusted entities to illicitly obtain personal information, financial data, or Amazon account details.
Amazon advises shoppers to be wary of cybercriminals employing tactics such as sending fake delivery notifications, urging account updates, or creating false urgency to resolve non-existent issues. Falling victim to these ploys can result in divulging sensitive information that scammers exploit for financial gain or unauthorized access.
According to Amazon, prevalent scams in November include deceptive messages regarding deliveries or account issues, misleading social media posts promoting unrealistic deals, and requests for passwords or payment information through unofficial channels. Another common tactic involves sending suspicious links to coerce customers into verifying their account credentials on fraudulent websites.
To navigate the shopping season safely, Amazon has shared five essential rules for consumers:
– Utilize the Amazon mobile app or website for all shopping needs, customer service inquiries, account adjustments, delivery tracking, and refund status.
– Be aware that Amazon will never request payments or payment details (including gift cards or wire transfers) over the phone.
– Consider enabling 2-step verification for added security on online accounts where available. This feature can be set up at amazon.co.uk/2SV.
– Enhance security by using a passkey for sign-ins, which is a more secure method than passwords and can utilize face, fingerprint, or PIN authentication. Set up a passkey at amazon.co.uk/passkey.
– Exercise caution when pressured to act urgently by scammers, as they may attempt to manipulate the situation.
For those seeking Black Friday discounts, it is crucial to remain vigilant and only make purchases through official channels such as Amazon.co.uk. Avoid falling for unexpected text or email messages and refrain from clicking on any suspicious links promising deals.