Black Friday shoppers are being urged to remain vigilant of fraud as new figures reveal victims of online scams lost an average of £1,000 across the same period last year.

Statistics released by the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) and Action Fraud show that shoppers across England, Wales and Northern Ireland were scammed out of £15.3m between November 2021 and January 2022.

Data also reveals that the demographic most likely to fall victim to online shopping scams are those aged 19-25.

Nearly half (47%) of victims were male and 41% were female, with the remaining 12% not providing that information.

Staying ‘Cyber Aware’

In response, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has launched a nationwide drive to promote its Cyber Aware campaign to help shoppers protect themselves online.

The Cyber Aware campaign advises simple steps for shoppers to reduce their risk of suffering similar losses during this year’s Black Friday and pre-Christmas period.

NCSC CEO Lindy Cameron warned that scammers and cybercriminals specifically target consumers in the run up to Christmas and urged shoppers to remain on alert.

She said: “Online shoppers will understandably be looking for bargains during the Black Friday and Christmas shopping period and we want them to do so safely.

“Sadly we know that criminals will look to exploit consumers at this time of year which is why good cybersecurity has such an important role to play.”

Cameron added: “I would urge everyone to help us fight the scammers by following our Cyber Aware advice to set up two-step verification and use three random words passwords.”

Black Friday cyber risks

Based on reports made to Action Fraud, almost half of reported scams mentioned one social media platform.

This, the organisation warned, highlights that social media is by far the most likely medium for shopping and auction fraud to take place.

For example, one victim lost £480 when trying to purchase shoes via a seemingly reputable social media account.

Similarly, of the 19,744 reports made to Action Fraud, 20% were related to the purchase of electronics and 13% to mobile phones.

Meanwhile, fraud related to the purchase of selling vehicles was the third most common (8%), with one victim losing over £7,000 to criminals while trying to purchase a campervan online.

Tips to stay safe online

Action Fraud and the NCSC are urging online shoppers to protect their accounts and check before they buy. This includes using secure payment methods in order to stay ahead of the threat from criminals.

Other tips include:

• Setting up 2-step verification and using passwords based on three random words to prevent cyber criminals from gaining access to your shopping, bank or email accounts.
• Researching online retailers to check they’re legitimate. Read feedback from people or organisations that you trust, such as consumer websites.
• Pay securely: Use a credit card when shopping online if possible. Most major credit card providers protect online purchases and are obliged to refund you in certain circumstances.

Crucially, Action Fraud revealed, by using a credit card this means that if payment details are stolen, your main bank account won’t be directly affected.

The organisation also recommended using payment platforms such as PayPal, Google or Apple Pay.

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Pauline Smith, Head of Action Fraud, commented: “The festive season is an expensive time for many of us. It’s natural for shoppers to get caught up in the excitement of Black Friday deals, and rush into making a quick purchase online to bag a bargain.

“Unfortunately, Christmas will come early for criminals who see this as an ideal opportunity to take advantage of us with the tempting promise of bogus cheap deals.

“I urge shoppers to be cautious of where and who you’re buying from. Our figures show that most scams last year involved mobile phones and electronics, so always shop with official retailers and don’t be enticed by deals that seem too good to be true.

“Where possible, use a credit card when shopping online as this will offer you more protection if anything goes wrong.”

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