We’re currently in the midst of the Black Friday madness where UK consumers are expected to spend £2bn in just 24 hours, a record-breaking figure. Following on from the Black Friday frenzy is Cyber Monday, the online discount day which is just around the corner and fears are looming around the subject of cyber-attacks. Discount shoppers are an easy target for cyber criminals lurking online, although they are not the only ones needing to be extra careful – online retailers across the UK are bracing their security systems for a potential cyber-attack leading up to the popular discount day.
A new survey by Computop polled 1,900 consumer in the US and UK, the results have been unfavourable for online retailers. In the survey 76% said they plan to shop online during this holiday season, however almost a third (62%) are not planning to do any shopping specifically on Cyber Monday. Many consumers believe that the discounts are not what they used to be therefore are reluctant to be shopping online during the day.
However a new concern has arisen around cyber security amongst shoppers. Around six in ten are worried about fraud which has led them to check liability policies of their payment method provider. A large majority (74%) are concerned about giving their credit card or banking information online and a quarter (26%) believe biometric data could be compromised.
“Despite the sustained interest in purchasing online, consumers continue to have significant concerns about the security of their personal information,” said Ralf Gladis, CEO of Computop.
“However, they are not necessarily interested in taking extra steps to protect themselves – and in the case of the newer authentication technologies we agree. Before moving forward with features like these, it’s critical as an industry that we are able to ensure this data is stored securely before we potentially open up a possible new area for identify theft.”
If you’re planning on some bargain hunting this Cyber Monday then here’s some tips you can use to stay safe when online shopping:
- Watching out for fake websites, look for trust signs to make sure it is genuine and check if the URL is correct. It is required for a website to have an ‘https’ connection when gathering details from a user, a green padlock should be at the top left of the browser.
- Beware of phishing emails, these are extremely common and often act as trusted banks or supermarkets. If it looks too good to be true, it probably is. This is also true for false freebies on Facebook giving away iPads, flights or shopping vouchers.
- Avoid transferring payments over unsecure public Wi-Fi, criminals can create their own hotspots, use a 3G/4G connection or wait until getting home before making a purchase.
- Don’t fall for fake invoices from criminals, these emails either have a virus attached acting as an invoice or a link to a malicious site to “cancel the payment”.
It is best to be extra cautious shopping online during this gift-giving season preventing any fraudulent activity from spoiling the mood. Nobody wants to be landed with an unexpected bill adding to the stress of searching for that perfect gift for their loved ones.
