An expert gives advice on how to shop safely during Black Friday | SEGS

With the rise of digital fraud, it is necessary to be careful not to fall into the traps

This year’s Black Friday (11/25) is expected to bring in R$6 billion in e-commerce, with more than 8 million online orders, according to the Brazilian Electronic Commerce Association (ABComm). Research published this week by Google and Instituto Ipsos points out that 71% of Brazilians intend to shop on Black Friday 2022, an increase of 16% compared to last year. And despite the fact that 60% of Brazilians already know what items they want to buy on sale day, most still haven’t decided which store or e-store to bet on.

The data is encouraging for consumers and commerce, but also for digital attacks and online fraud. It is at this point that redoubled care should be taken to ensure safe online shopping during Black Friday. Monitor Checkpoint Research noted that in July alone, Brazil had an average jump of 122% in cyber attacks. This number is higher than the average for Latin America, where an increase of 62% was recorded.

To prevent this and other types of electronic fraud, companies are investing in cyber security. This type of action protects not only the company’s data, but also the customer’s data, which is crucial for maintaining the quality of services and the good reputation of the site: the safer the e-commerce, the more positive the recommendations, ensuring better access to the Internet.

If, on the one hand, companies invest in this security, on the other hand, customers must be careful to protect themselves. Partner and CEO of EXA Tecnologie, Alan Morais, warns of different types of scams, including PIX. “Using the tool is attractive to the customer, because with just a few clicks, the payment is made on the spot and the sale is celebrated. But unfortunately, QR code fraud or even using a fake CNPJ has become a common scam. At the end of the day, the customer is left without the paid amount and without the product”, he analysed.

In order to avoid this and other types of online fraud, the expert gives several tips:

1 – USE SECURITY APPLICATIONS THAT CONTAIN ANTI-PHISHING FUNCTIONALITY – to make sure that the “offers” you receive via email or otherwise are not from fake sites. So-called phishing, or digital fishing, is a very common electronic fraud in which the user is directed to fake sites, mostly simulating those of large companies, where personal information is stolen in order to make purchases and transfer value from them.

2 – DON’T CLICK ON UNKNOWN LINKS: Be careful with offers directly on your WhatsApp or social networks, since no chat application, much less Facebook, Instagram or Messenger, allows companies to send proposals directly to the consumer by offering gifts or discounts, without be previously authorized by the customer. Any promotional message that must be seen in this format is potentially a threat.

3 – VERIFICATION OF CNPJ IN PAYMENT THROUGH PIX: If the online purchase is from a store or seller you already know, and the payment will be made by PIX, choose to use the company’s CNPJ as the recipient’s key – on the website of the Federal Tax Administration, here it is possible to check for free whether this CNPJ really belongs to the person selling the product.

4 – BEWARE OF VERY ATTRACTIVE OFFERS AND CHECK THE REPUTATION OF THE COMPANY – Research the product you want to buy and suspect a tempting 70% promotion; Also see what users are saying about the provider on service review sites like ReclameAQUI.

5 – ALWAYS USE YOUR OWN EQUIPMENT: Do not share public computers, third-party cell phones, or public or open Wi-Fi networks for online shopping. It is recommended not to use public Wi-Fi and never perform bank transactions with a password on non-private connections. Always use a computer with an antivirus program, an enabled firewall, and an up-to-date browser and operating system.

6 – IF YOU RECEIVE A DIRECT OFFER LINK FROM A SELLER, NEVER PROVIDE A CONFIRMATION CODE: If you have engaged in an online transaction, especially outside of official, trusted stores, the scammer will at some point send you a “confirmation code” for the alleged promotion. Read what is written in that code – if, for example, you will “access WhatsApp”, the criminal takes over your account in the application.

7 – BEWARE OF ABSURD PROMOTIONS: First check if the site is reliable. Always be careful with SMS and social media ads that are not from official sites. The consumer must verify whether the social network promotion is true by going to the merchant’s official website and searching for the advertised product.

About EXA Tecnologia

EXA Tecnologia is a company created by the FS group, a leader in cyber security. The startup, with expertise in the development of security solutions, offers a complete portfolio for multiple clients in different segments. The company is committed to increasing the safety of Brazilians, so that everyone can live without worry.