Entercard’s tips for safe shopping during Black Week and Cyber Monday

Black Week and Cyber Monday are notable days for shopping that has become a time for special offers and gift shopping.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday both originated in the USA as shopping days. During the last years, the shopping days has developed to become an international phenomenon that marks the start for holiday shopping.

If you come across a great bargain, you can always make safe payments using our cards – especially if you are attentive and take some precautions. Here are some tips to safely shop online.

Use your credit card safely and responsibly

A smart advice is to read reviews and experiences from other customers of the same shop. To minimise the risk of fraud, you can look for the padlock icon the address bar of your browser to reassure that you are on a safe payment site. You should also remember to check that the final amount to pay is correct.

Whether you choose to shop online or in a physical store, it may be clever to pay with a credit card as you may have insurances included in your card. If your order does not arrive or if you end up being the victim of fraud, your card issuer may be able to help you get your money back.

However, if you are in doubt whether you can afford to make a purchase, we advise you to reconsider before placing an order.

Read more about safe use of credit cards online here.

Be aware of fake discounts and products

Several stores has been exposed for increasing their prices in advance of Black Week and Cyber Monday and adjusting it back down during Black Week and Cyber Monday. You can find several price comparison services online that makes it possible to view the price history of a product, and using one may provide you with some insight to do a more informed purchase.

It is easy to encounter special offers, but not every offer turns out to be as good as it may seem. Some are for instance creating banners that gives the illusion that a product sold at a discount, while in reality the product is sold at full price. You should therefore check the original price of the product before making a decision.

Another aspect to be aware of when shopping online is counterfeit products. Fraudsters may sell popular items at a price that is far below the typical cost for the product. If you are in doubt if the merchandise is real or not, you can ask the seller for documentation or read reviews that other buyers have left behind.

The best tip, however, is to be cautious with special offers that seem too good to be true. Unusually good offers might be a trick fraudsters use to extract personal information and money.