Black Friday is the time to shop, both in-store and online. Cybercriminals are back with all their classics. Be vigilant and don't click on a link without checking its origin. Make sure the email, offer, publication or text message is legitimate. All too often, phishing is all about the details.
The most common scams:
1/ You have a parcel: bpost, DHL, Post NL. Criminals don't hesitate to imitate the big delivery companies in order to trap you. We often click on these links without thinking too much.
2/ "Don't miss out! If an offer seems too good to be true, it isn't. Don't rush in. A Rolex watch for €50 or an iPhone for €1 is impossible.
3/ Packages at very low prices: Social networks are also a favourite hunting ground for cybercriminals. They try to get you to click on links or publications that show pallets of unsold products. A big sale of unsold goods at 1 or 2 euros for a whole pallet of white goods, for example. The first tool we have is our common sense. As you can imagine, this is unlikely to be true.
What to look out for?
Is the offer too good to be true? It probably isn't. Do you have to decide quickly? Cybercriminals try to get you to act quickly so that you don't take the time to spot the fake messages. So be very vigilant.
What should you do?
- See a message that looks suspicious? Report it immediately to suspicious@safeonweb.be.
- NEVER give out passwords, bank card codes or reply codes by email, phone, text or social media.
- Delete the message.
Unsure and don't want to miss out on a special offer?
Check the store's website by typing the correct URL into your browser. Do you find the offer there? Then it's probably a genuine offer.
