National: Scam warning issued by bank ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales

Shoppers have been warned to be wary as fraudsters step up their activity around upcoming Black Friday online sales, a major Irish bank has warned. 

Bank of Ireland is warning consumers to be especially vigilant for fraud as Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are key online shopping dates for many consumers, which also means fraudsters will be stepping up their activity.

Bank of Ireland customers spent 54% more online during Black Friday last year compared to a standard Friday, with clothing (+104%) and electrical goods (+100%) seeing the largest increase.

For those shopping online this Black Friday or Cyber Monday, Bank of Ireland is providing tips to stay safe.

Black Friday / Cyber Monday tips:

Think before you click – make sure you double check website addresses for anything unusual.

Be careful with links in emails and texts – remember that fake links or ads could lead you to a fraudulent website or contain malicious software.

Use trusted websites – check that the ‘https’ and the lock symbol is displayed, this needs to be in your browser address window when entering your card details or any personal information.

On a mobile device use trusted apps – it can be difficult to see the full web address on mobile if you are using a web browser so instead stick with trusted apps.

Use up to date anti-virus software on your computer – this will help protect it against malware.

Nicola Sadlier, Head of Fraud, Bank of Ireland said: “We are already starting to hear about Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, but shoppers need to be extra vigilant for fraud.

“Fraudsters like to inject an element of urgency into their offers or fake adverts, but don’t rush a transaction without checking things properly first. Verify if websites and apps are legitimate and be extremely careful with online adverts, texts or e-mails. Remember, if something sounds too good to be true, it’s probably fraud”.

To coincide with the busy pre-Christmas shopping period, Bank of Ireland has launched a new national fraud advertising campaign, reminding customers to Stop, Think and Check. The Bank is publishing a series of ‘True Crime’ videos with renowned cyberpsychologist Professor Mary Aiken providing insights and tips to help people protect themselves. Visit Security Zone – Bank of Ireland Group Website to learn more.