How to protect yourself from scammers this Black Friday

Unfortunately, peak shopping times like Black Friday, Cyber Monday and the festive season bring an increase in activity by fraudsters who are out to take advantage of you. Don’t worry, it’s not all doom and gloom – with just a little preparation and knowing what to look out for, you can still enjoy the shopping experience.

If something looks too good to be true, it probably is. So, be mindful of deals and offers that over-promise. Being mindful when shopping is one of the most important things you can do to keep yourself safe. Here are our top safety tips to help you avoid scams.

Be extra careful when it comes to promotional emails

• Don’t click on unfamiliar email links. If you receive an email from an unknown source or one that looks suspicious, don’t click on any of the email links. Instead, type in the site’s name in your web browser and access it that way.
• Do not open unfamiliar email attachments. Retailers don’t usually attach their deals to emails, so don’t open email attachments that offer special deals. Instead, delete them.

Stay secure when shopping online

• Use a trusted internet connection. Don’t use unknown or public Wi-Fi to access online shopping sites. Criminals can use unsecured internet networks to access your personal information.
• Make sure the online shopping site is secure. The site’s address must have ‘https://’ in front of the URL. If it doesn’t, leave the site immediately.
• Never use the same password across sites. When registering on a shopping website or app, use a unique password for each site or app. That way, if one site isn’t secure, your details on other sites aren’t at risk.
• Use strong and secure passwords. Use a strong and complex password that contain a combination of numbers, lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as symbols.

Keep your personal details secure

• Don’t share your card information. Never share your PIN, OTP or card details with anyone. This includes details like CVV numbers, card names, card numbers and expiry dates.
• Don’t give out sensitive information over the phone or email. Remember, Discovery Bank and other banks will never ask you for your banking details, card details, PINs or OTPs over phone or email.
• Be aware of who might be listening. Be aware of the people around you and don’t discuss personal information such as your PIN, OTP or card details in public.
• Be aware of who might be watching. Be aware of the people around you when withdrawing money from an ATM or entering your PIN at tills.
• Don’t accept help from strangers. If you need help withdrawing money from the ATM or when paying at the till, contact Discovery Bank on 0800 07 96 97 for assistance.

Keep track of your transactions

• Monitor your transaction activities. Enable transaction notifications on all your Discovery Bank accounts to receive notifications for purchases.
• Keep your mobile connection on. Ensure that you always have your mobile network connection on so Discovery Bank can send you notifications when there is activity on your accounts.
• Don’t authorise SIM Swaps. Unless you have specifically requested for a SIM swap from your cellular provider, don’t authorise SIM-swap requests. Contact us immediately when you become aware of unauthorised SIM swaps.

It’s easy to get swept up in the hype and excitement of Black Friday, but it’s important to always think of your security first. For more information on fraud-related scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the Discovery website. And if you suspect suspicious transactions and activities on your Discovery Bank accounts, contact our Fraud team on 011 324 4444 straight away.