Black Friday safety tips: Protecting online purchases

Shopping online during the Black Friday sales can be an easy and convenient alternative to shopping in person. There are even digital-only sales for the annual event.

Shopping online can come with risks. It's important to consider some Black Friday safety tips. This guide will detail how to securely shop from the comfort of home this Black Friday.

Growing threat of online scams during Black Friday

In 2023, online shoppers spent $9.8 billion on Black Friday — a 7.5% increase from the previous year, according to Forbes.¹ And as sales grow, so too does the risk of scams and Black Friday fraud.

Protecting personal information

It's important to protect personal information when shopping online. Consider the below online shopping safety tips:

• Create strong passwords. It's important to create strong, unique passwords. Strong passwords typically contain: uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. They should be more than eight characters long and shouldn't include something that a scammer could easily guess (a birthday, a mother's maiden name, etc).
• Beware of phishing emails. Staying safe from dangerous phishing emails starts with learning how to recognize them. Phishing emails often look like legitimate emails from a bank or other authority, but they're really scammers trying to steal personal information. A few signs that a message might be a scam are spelling mistakes or a sender's email that is long or strange. It's always a good idea to check directly with the bank or the purported sender.
• Use multi-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication or multi-factor authentication is when a website sends an individual a unique one-time code, asks for a security question, or uses biometrics. These logins are generally safer than just using a password.

Using secure payment methods

Only use secure payment methods and platforms when shopping online. One way to check if a site is secure is to look for SSL certificates or the padlock icon in the browser. It's also a good idea to review the privacy and security protocols of the platform to ensure that information is encrypted.

Using trusted payments, such as credit cards or digital wallets, can help reduce susceptibility to fraud and scams.

Securing devices and networks

Shopping from the comfort of one's couch can feel secure, but there are steps needed in order to stay safe. Consider the below:

• Use secure networks. Personal devices and home Wi-Fi networks should have strong passwords to prevent unauthorized use.
• Install updates. It can be tempting to ignore software updates when they pop up on a computer or phone, but keeping all devices updated is crucial. The latest security patches can maintain secure devices.
• Use antivirus software. Using antivirus and anti-malware software may help catch a security breach before it causes serious problems.
• Be aware of Wi-Fi risks. While public Wi-Fi at an airport or library can come in handy, it's not as secure as a home or private network. It's difficult to guarantee secure authentication while on public Wi-Fi.
• Consider a VPN. A VPN, or virtual private network, is software that encrypts data traffic to establish a secure connection. Downloading a VPN may add a layer of security.

What are safe online shopping practices?

Here are a few more best practices to help safeguard personal financial information when shopping online:

• Shop only on reputable sites. Shopping from trusted websites minimizes the risk of fraud.

• Be cautious of juicy deals. If a Black Friday deal sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

• Use an ad-blocker. It's easy to install an ad-blocker onto internet browsers, and it's another added layer of fraud protection while shopping online.

• Update antivirus protection. Keeping software and anti-malware protection up to date can help ensure a safe shopping experience.

What to do if you become a victim of fraud on Black Friday

In the unfortunate event a shopper falls victim to Black Friday fraud, there are steps they can take. If credit card or personal information has been compromised, the first thing to do is report the online fraud to the bank or card issuer.

In the case of identity theft, it can also be a good idea to freeze credit reports. The U.S. government offers advice on how to do this.²