If you’re sitting waiting for your most wished for air fryer to hit the Black Friday sales this week, you’re not alone.
However, NatWest have warned that over £10m is set to be stolen by criminals ahead of Christmas thanks to a new scam hitting air fryer shoppers.
According to the bank, “criminals are taking advantage of the cost-of-living crisis by advertising goods which don’t exist – customers trying to reduce their energy expenditure could find themselves being specifically targeted.”
They warn that air fryers are predicted to be one of the top products targeted by these ‘purchase scams’, with consumers trying to get the best deals on the energy saving cooking appliance of the moment.
NatWest also predict that shoppers seeking personal heaters and games consoles, such as PlayStations and Xboxes, are the most at risk.
A purchase scam usually involves a criminal trying to sell goods online at a heavily reduced price.
Another typical sign of a purchase scam is a time-based deal that adds pressure to the purchaser to buy now without thinking. The sites these scams are happening on most commonly are Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, Twitter and eBay.
How to avoid purchase scams this Black Friday
- Be suspicious of any “too good to be true” offers or prices
- Be careful what website you are purchasing from – have you ever heard of it or seen it before?
- Use the secure payment method recommended by reputable online retailers and auction sites
- Where possible, use a credit card when making purchases over £100 and up to £30,000 as you receive protection under the Credit Consumer Act
- Don’t just go by a photo of an item – these can be easily faked
- Purchase items made by a major brand from the list of authorised sellers listed on their official website
- Be wary of clicking on links in unsolicited emails
- Always ensure you click ‘log out’ or ‘sign out’ of websites.
- Stop – Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe.
- Challeng – Could it be fake? It’s ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you.
- Protect – Contact your bank immediately by dialling 159 if you think you’ve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud.
Black Friday at HuffPost UK
The HuffPost UK Shopping team is working hard to find you the best Black Friday 2022 deals – this air fryer currently a great discount, for example
Here are our round ups of the best early Black Friday Amazon deals and some great gift ideas from Wayfair’s sale – and you can find more on our dedicated Shopping page here.