Is black friday a scam

That AI is impacting the number and sophistication of online scams during the holiday season. Forty-five percent of American shoppers said that they believe scam emails and messages will be more believable than ever and 41 percent think it will be harder to tell the difference between real messages from a retail or delivery service from a fraudulent one due to AI advancements. Notably, McAfee’s research indicates that consumers’ concerns have merit given the amount of messages being received specifically when looking at a surge in unsolicited holiday shopping emails beginning in October. Black Friday emails saw a 495 percent increase from October to early November. And while some consumers do check the authenticity of a message, many do not, leaving them vulnerable to scams. When prompted, 64 percent of Americans said that they receive the most scam messages via email, followed by 20 percent who reported messages coming via text and 16 percent citing social media. When asked about the types of scam messages they have seen, 66 percent said they have received a “you’ve won a prize” message and 59 percent said that they had received a fake missed delivery notification or delivery problem notification. In addition to “too good to be true deals” emails, the company pointed to fake sites that pose as legitimate brands. According to the report, McAfee’s solution has prevented consumers from bad links for Black Friday and Christmas scams more than 81,000 times during just the first month of the holiday shopping season this year. With more consumers shopping online, particularity on social media, McAfee said that while there are a number of ways to detect deepfakes and other AI-generated fraudulent content, the authors of the report encouraged the use of AI to fight AI.

Score deals and shop safely. Sale time! Black Friday is almost here and you’re ready to spend because everything is cheap, and the deals are too good to pass up.But wait.While Black Friday discounts can be tempting, not everything you see is a smart buy. And those too-good-to-be-true deals may not be deals at all — they may be scams.6 Black Friday deals to help you saveKnow what to look for before you shop. Is it a deal? A money no-no? A scam? Here’s how to tell the difference, and how you can make the most of your money without getting carried away this holiday season.No. 1: Discounts on stuff you needWant to get your money’s worth on Black Friday? Here’s how:Buy the stuff you need, but get it at a discount. It’s that simple.Before you shop, separate your “needs” from your “wants.” Look for deals on the “need” items. Use Black Friday to buy essentials you were planning on buying anyway. You might be able to get them for less, which means more money in your pocket.A new coat to replace the one you wore out last winter. A toaster, coffee maker, or other kitchen appliance. Black Friday is a great chance to make necessary purchases on the cheap.No. 2: Early Black Friday dealsScoring the best Black Friday deals isn’t a single-day event anymore. Take advantage of sales in the weeks leading up to Black Friday.Plan to shop early — whether online or in-person. Doing so lets you be more selective about what you buy. So do a deep search for your must-have purchases. Is it an air fryer this year? Those earbuds or video games that you promised your teenage kids for Christmas? When you find the best Black Friday-worthy deal, see if it’s offered for less somewhere else. You have time.Bonus tip: Another good idea when shopping early is to hold yourself to a cooling-off period; before you make a purchase, give yourself a day or two to think it over. This can help you avoid impulse buys and succumbing to Black Friday ads, which are all too tempting when shopping the day-of.No. 3: Reward appsMake money by spending money? It’s possible with reward apps.Reward apps are digital programs that offer savings and cash back on your purchases. Sign up online or download them on your phone. Spend like you normally would and receive your benefits. It’s simple.Popular reward apps include:Fetch Rewards rewards you for your purchases. Just scan your receipt and receive points that you can redeem toward items in a variety of categories — retail, sweepstakes, restaurants, entertainment, subscriptions, and more.Swagbucks offers gift cards for completing online polls, surveys, and questionnaires.No. 4: Shopping cart offersHave

Shopping list.Debit card machines: Everywhere you go there is a swipe, chip, or tap feature. There are even virtual wallets where your debit card can be digitally stored on your smartphone. Technology is making spending easier, but it’s also making it easier to overspend. So when you’re shopping, slow down — all those swipes can add up.Spending temptations: Especially on Black Friday, shopping comes with temptations. There are deals, but there’s everything else in the store, too. Stay focused.No. 5: Shopping nonsale itemsBlack Friday deals are great for shoppers, but what’s in it for the stores, you might ask? Easy: money.Stores want you to spend on Black Friday and during the rest of the holiday shopping season, too. They bring you in with the deals, then tempt you to buy at full price.So resist the temptation.Stick to your list and only buy what’s on sale, because everything you buy at full price is money that could have gone toward a purchase that helps you save. And all those full-price items? They’re not going anywhere. If you decide you really want a fancy robot vacuum or smart home device, come back later; perhaps when the store puts it on sale.Watch for these 6 Black Friday scamsDoes a deal sound too good to be true? It probably is. Black Friday is a great time to save, but only if you do it right. Shop smart by avoiding scams and taking advantage of deals that deliver real discounts.Scam No. 1: No discountsBlack Friday means everything is on sale, right? Wrong.Looking at a list of reduced prices, you might assume that everything is a steal. But that’s not always the case. Retailers slip in full-price items alongside the ones they slash. This can confuse shoppers or create an everything-must-go frenzy that encourages impulse purchases.Before you buy, double-check the price tag. If the item doesn’t come at a discount, skip it. You can always pick it up later when it’s actually on sale.Scam No. 2: Fake discountsPrices can be deceiving. One price you’re likely to come across while Black Friday shopping is the MSRP, or manufacturer suggested retail price. The MSRP is set by the manufacturer, but individual stores are free to charge less. If you see a discount to an MSRP, beware. Many stores never charge the full price, so a discount based on an MSRP may not be a discount at all.To avoid this type of scam, do some comparison shopping. If other stores — or the store where you’re shopping — sell the same item below the MSRP as their regular price, you’re not getting the deal you think you are.Scam No. 3: Last year’s priceMany stores recycle the previous year’s sale.

For some items, this isn’t a problem. For others, last year’s model is old news and should be priced accordingly. Electronics, for instance, lose value fast. So when a store sells a model for the same price year after year, you’re probably not getting a bargain no matter how deep the discount.Keep an eye out for this type of scam when buying electronics, appliances, and even clothes, which age as soon as the styles go out of fashion.Scam No. 4: Downgraded models, downgraded dealsDid you find a rock-bottom price? Make sure it’s a sale and not a downgrade. Retailers will sometimes strip a product of its features and sell it at a steep discount price (think of a laptop that’s so basic, it’s almost unusable). While the price may look good, remember: you get what you pay for.Before you buy, price it out. Account for all the features you will need to make the purchase worth it, and make sure you’re still happy with the price.Scam No. 5: Limited quantitiesEver seen people lined up outside a store on Black Friday? Chances are they’re hoping to score a deal with “limited quantities.” Retailers offer these too-good-to-be-true deals on a select number of items, and once those units are sold, the sale is over.This type of sale is great if you’re one of the lucky few who get them. Everyone else misses out, and this is how retailers make their money. Once shoppers are in the store, they’re likely to make a purchase, even if it’s at full price.Scam No. 6: Store gift cardsStores will often sell an item for full price with the inclusion of a free gift card. It sounds like a good deal, right? So how is this a scam? If you don’t use the gift card at a later date, you’re not getting a deal, so consider if you are actually going to return to the store down the road. Is the store out of the way? How often do you shop there?Think of all the unused gift cards sitting in your wallet; if the gift card you receive becomes one of them, you’re better off looking for a different deal.Expert tips to avoid online Black Friday scamsCyber Monday rounds out the five-day holiday shopping rush. In 2023, it generated $12.4 billion in online sales in the U.S.. But scams abound, and shoppers face digital risks like data theft, too.To learn more, we talked to J.R. Skrabanek, Esq., an attorney with a background in consumer protection and certified privacy professional. Here are his three tips for staying safe online:Tip No. 1: Avoid too-good-to-be-true deals“First, consumers should avoid deals that seem too good to be true. If a deal

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My couisin is an attorney and he Assures me I will get my money one way or another! even though My black friday shopping experiece was ruined. Login to Me Too Options Mark as New Bookmark Subscribe Mute Subscribe to RSS Feed Permalink Print Report Inappropriate Content I STILL HAVE NOT GOT MY MONEY CREDITED TO MY ACCOUNT , I SENT ALL THE INFO, TO PAYAL AND 3 DAYS NOTHING!! THIS IS A SCAM FOR SURE!! THEY HAVE TAKEN MY 500 CARD BUT OTHERS ARE ABLE TO PROCESS??? SMH TIME FOR LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THIS FRADULANT COMPANY!! THIS HAS PUT ME IN A HARDSHIP MY FAMILY HAS BEEN WITHOUT MONEY FOR THE WHOLE HOLIDAYS ,, I AM SO SICK RIGHT NOW Login to Me Too Options Mark as New Bookmark Subscribe Mute Subscribe to RSS Feed Permalink Print Report Inappropriate Content LOYAL CUSTOMERS>> IF THIS HAS PUT YOU IN A HARDSHIP PLEASE COMMENT!! IF WE HAVE OVER 20 PEOPLE WITH DAMEAGES BECAUSE OF THIS PROBLEM ON PAYPALS END THEN WE HAVE A CASE FOR A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT. I WANT MY MONEY PLUS DAMAGES! A SORRY WONT BE GOOD ENOUGH, THIS CUSTOMER SERVICE IS THE WORST EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE AND IM NOT GIVING UP UNTIL I GET WHATS DUE!! Login to Me Too