Close Menu
TechCentralTechCentral

    Subscribe to the newsletter

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    Facebook X (Twitter) YouTube LinkedIn
    WhatsApp Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn YouTube
    TechCentralTechCentral
    • News

      The little-known company disrupting Eskom’s monopoly

      16 June 2025

      TechCentral Nexus S0E2: South Africa’s digital battlefield

      16 June 2025

      AI and the future of ICT distribution

      16 June 2025

      Beijing’s chip champions blacklisted by Taiwan

      16 June 2025

      Chief sub-editor wanted – help shape South African tech media

      16 June 2025
    • World

      Yahoo tries to make its mail service relevant again

      13 June 2025

      Qualcomm shows off new chip for AI smart glasses

      11 June 2025

      Trump tariffs to dim 2025 smartphone shipments

      4 June 2025

      Shrimp Jesus and the AI ad invasion

      4 June 2025

      Apple slams EU rules as ‘flawed and costly’ in major legal pushback

      2 June 2025
    • In-depth

      Grok promised bias-free chat. Then came the edits

      2 June 2025

      Digital fortress: We go inside JB5, Teraco’s giant new AI-ready data centre

      30 May 2025

      Sam Altman and Jony Ive’s big bet to out-Apple Apple

      22 May 2025

      South Africa unveils big state digital reform programme

      12 May 2025

      Is this the end of Google Search as we know it?

      12 May 2025
    • TCS

      TechCentral Nexus S0E1: Starlink, BEE and a new leader at Vodacom

      8 June 2025

      TCS+ | The future of mobile money, with MTN’s Kagiso Mothibi

      6 June 2025

      TCS+ | AI is more than hype: Workday execs unpack real human impact

      4 June 2025

      TCS | Sentiv, and the story behind the buyout of Altron Nexus

      3 June 2025

      TCS | Signal restored: Unpacking the Blue Label and Cell C turnaround

      28 May 2025
    • Opinion

      Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

      2 June 2025

      South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

      2 June 2025

      Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

      29 May 2025

      Solar panic? The truth about SSEG, fines and municipal rules

      14 April 2025

      Data protection must be crypto industry’s top priority

      9 April 2025
    • Company Hubs
      • Africa Data Centres
      • AfriGIS
      • Altron Digital Business
      • Altron Document Solutions
      • Altron Group
      • Arctic Wolf
      • AvertITD
      • Braintree
      • CallMiner
      • CYBER1 Solutions
      • Digicloud Africa
      • Digimune
      • Domains.co.za
      • ESET
      • Euphoria Telecom
      • Incredible Business
      • iONLINE
      • Iris Network Systems
      • LSD Open
      • NEC XON
      • Network Platforms
      • Next DLP
      • Ovations
      • Paracon
      • Paratus
      • Q-KON
      • SkyWire
      • Solid8 Technologies
      • Telit Cinterion
      • Tenable
      • Vertiv
      • Videri Digital
      • Wipro
      • Workday
    • Sections
      • AI and machine learning
      • Banking
      • Broadcasting and Media
      • Cloud services
      • Contact centres and CX
      • Cryptocurrencies
      • Education and skills
      • Electronics and hardware
      • Energy and sustainability
      • Enterprise software
      • Fintech
      • Information security
      • Internet and connectivity
      • Internet of Things
      • Investment
      • IT services
      • Lifestyle
      • Motoring
      • Public sector
      • Retail and e-commerce
      • Science
      • SMEs and start-ups
      • Social media
      • Talent and leadership
      • Telecoms
    • Events
    • Advertise
    TechCentralTechCentral
    Home » Company News » Deal or no deal? Stay safe on Black Friday

    Deal or no deal? Stay safe on Black Friday

    By ESET18 November 2021
    Twitter LinkedIn Facebook WhatsApp Email Telegram Copy Link
    News Alerts
    WhatsApp
    The author, ESET’s Carey van Vlaanderen

    “Gucci bags, 80% off!” screams the e-mail that lands in your inbox on Black Friday. It seems like an impossibly large discount, but you open the e-mail anyway — just to check if it seems legitimate. And it does — it’s professionally compiled, there are no spelling errors, and the logos and merchandise all look like the real deal. So, you click on the link provided. And you shop. Only to see a string of fraudulent charges on your next bank statement.

    Black Friday is a lucrative day not only for retailers, but also for cybercriminals. In 2019, the use of retail phishing URLs jumped by 275% the week before Black Friday.

    Before going on an online spending spree, ask yourself these questions to stay ahead of scammers:

    Is my security up to date? Though many people secure their computers, they often leave their most connected device, their phone, vulnerable. Cybersecurity solutions like antivirus, firewalls and Internet protection must be installed on any connected device. Before Black Friday starts, check if these solutions are up to date and apply any necessary patches.

    1. Is it too good to be true? Cybercriminals are taking advantage of cash-strapped consumers’ increased desire to save money, partly due the economic crisis caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Any deal that seems too good to be true should not be trusted offhand. Verify them by typing in the retailer’s website address in a browser window and searching for the deal there. Apart from jaw-dropping discounts, coupons are also a popular way to reel customers in. According to ESET telemetry, of all the Black Friday-related e-mails you will get in one day, an average of 12% will be spam e-mails. Again, do not click on any links. Be sure to shop on the real website and apply coupons there by manually typing out the code.
    2. Is the website (or app) real? Scammers are better than ever at creating legitimate-looking fake websites and apps to steal your personal details. The website address might even be very similar, with only one extra character. Always type out the correct website address in your browser rather than clicking on a link, and make sure to download apps from the Google Play store or Apple App Store — not from a link. Once on a website, look for a padlock and, on a desktop device, the https:// at the beginning of the website address. These indicate that communication between you and the site is encrypted and any data you send can’t be seen by anyone intercepting the traffic.
    3. Is it an ad? Attractive fake adverts with great deals abound on Black Friday and, other than websites, you can’t tell them apart from the real ads until it’s too late. Avoid clicking on any ads, whether on search results or on social media. Again, rather type out the retailer’s address in your browser.
    4. Am I on public Wi-Fi? Criminals often intercept public Wi-Fi by creating a fake hotspot in the same area as a real hotspot. Log onto the fake one and they can easily steal your details. Rather use your carrier’s service.
    5. How should I pay? Secure payment services like Apple Pay, Android Pay or PayPal are your best bet. Credit cards are also a good means of payment when shopping online because banks keep a close eye out for fraudulent activity. If you are unfortunate enough to have been scammed, you can alert the card issuer to dispute the charge and get it reversed quickly. Be sure to set you card limit low to minimise any damage.
    6. Am I logged in? Never over-share personal data by creating an account with a retailer and letting them store your personal or payment details. Reducing the number of people storing your data will help reduce your risk of being affected by a breach. If you do create an account, choose a strong password that can’t easily be guessed. Between May and August 2021, ESET detected 55 billion new password-guessing attacks.

    About ESET
    For more than 30 years, ESET has been developing industry-leading IT security software and services to protect businesses, critical infrastructure and consumers worldwide from increasingly sophisticated digital threats. From endpoint and mobile security to endpoint detection and response, as well as encryption and multifactor authentication, ESET’s high-performing, easy-to-use solutions unobtrusively protect and monitor 24/7, updating defences in real time to keep users safe and businesses running without interruption. Evolving threats require an evolving IT security company that enables the safe use of technology. This is backed by ESET’s R&D centers worldwide, working in support of our shared future. For more information, visit www.eset.com/za or follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram.

    • The author, Carey van Vlaanderen, is CEO at ESET Southern Africa
    • This promoted content was paid for by the party concerned


    Carey van Vlaanderen ESET
    Subscribe to TechCentral Subscribe to TechCentral
    Share. Facebook Twitter LinkedIn WhatsApp Telegram Email Copy Link
    Previous ArticleMTN to sell South Africa towers to IHS for R6.4-billion
    Next Article BCX Digital Innovation Awards 2021: Winners announced

    Related Posts

    TCS+ | From gen AI to deepfakes – the latest infosec threats

    1 October 2024

    TCS+ | ESET’s Adrian Stanford: how AI will transform cybersecurity

    10 June 2024

    AI’s double-edged sword requires a human security approach

    4 June 2024
    Add A Comment

    Comments are closed.

    Company News

    Huawei Watch Fit 4 Series: smarter sensors, sharper design, stronger performance

    13 June 2025

    Change Logic and BankservAfrica set new benchmark with PayShap roll-out

    13 June 2025

    SAPHILA 2025 – transcending with purpose, connection and AI-powered vision

    13 June 2025
    Opinion

    Beyond the box: why IT distribution depends on real partnerships

    2 June 2025

    South Africa’s next crisis? Being offline in an AI-driven world

    2 June 2025

    Digital giants boost South African news media – and get blamed for it

    29 May 2025

    Subscribe to Updates

    Get the best South African technology news and analysis delivered to your e-mail inbox every morning.

    © 2009 - 2025 NewsCentral Media

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.