Black Friday can be a great time to score some great deals, but it’s also a time to be on alert for potential scams.
“We’re asking people to be aware,” a statement from Cpl. Wayne Ross of the Nova Scotia RCMP Financial Crime unit reads. “The more you know how to recognize scams, the less likely you are to become a victim; you can protect yourself from being ripped off.”
According to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre (CAFC), more than 43,000 Canadians have been victims of fraud so far this year, losing $362.7 million collectively.
“By the use of various electronic scams, fraudsters steal personal information or payment data from unsuspecting shoppers or distribute malware designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to a person’s computer system,” Cpl. Ross stated.
This is the “prime time” for scammers to set up fake e-commerce websites. These sites can look authentic at first glance and the shoppers will either be sent fake goods or nothing at all.
Keep an eye out for these scam red flags when you’re shopping online:
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Fakes sites will be promoting low-cost inventory but if the prices seem too good to be true, they likely are.
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To the left of the URL in your web browser there is a padlock symbol. That is the sign that the site’s information is encrypted. An unlocked…
