Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the traditional starts to the Christmas shopping season. Retailers open early and offer big deals both in-store on Black Friday and online on Cyber Monday, though many companies now begin online sales early on Cyber Black Friday. As the busiest shopping event of the whole year, consumers will spend over $50 billion dollars over this time period.
Unfortunately, this mass shopping event is not crime-free. There have been several instances where large crowds lave led to stampedes and assaults, instances of aggression and violence by shoppers, as well as spikes in thefts both in-store and in parking lots. Cyber Monday is not without its own crimes, spiking incidences of fraud and identity theft, primarily through social engineering (phishing).
Black Friday Safety Tips
Most retailers will do their part to help keep you safe, but you can take steps to protect your own security too.
- Have a shopping buddy; thieves are less likely to target groups
- Park your car in a well-lit area (more parking lot safety tips)
- Don’t overload yourself when carrying items back to your car; it makes it difficult to defend yourself
- Do not return to your car mid-shopping to ‘store’ items: that’s just asking for burglary! Leave big items to last or make a trip home. If you must store items in your car, hide them under seats or in the trunk, making sure nobody sees you stashing them away
- If you’re waiting in your car for a store to open, keep your doors locked
- Beware of strangers who may be approaching you, particularly if you feel they may be distracting you (while someone else steals from you)
- Take your own shopping bags or zipper-secured bags for purchases. Rolling suitcases with zippers can be handy for large-volume shoppers!
- Watch for people loitering and alert security if you think someone is acting suspicious
- Stay on the outside of large crowds, or avoid them altogether
- Make a list and know your deals; you can often check leaked deals online so you can make your shopping more efficient; less time idling in a store will reduce your chances for crime
- Save all receipts to confirm against your bank / credit card statements
- Carry your purse close to your body or your wallet in your coat or front pocket; keep only one credit card in your wallet just in case it is stolen
- Use a credit card to avoid thefts of large amounts of cash (if you do use cash, carry several small amounts in separate places on your person)
Online Shopping Safety Tips
- Never shop on a public wi-fi connection
- Pay with a credit card only (so criminals can’t access bank details from a debit card)
- Make sure to use a strong and unique password for each site you shop on; consider a password manager to help you out
- Shop on trusted websites
- Look for signs your data is protected (https://, closed padlock, unbroken key)
- Don’t click on links from email messages from unknown sources
- Run anti-virus and anti-spyware software and use a firewall
- Beware of phishing emails that cite an issue with your order; real companies would call
- For more Cyber Monday tips, read here.
Monitor your bank and credit card account to ensure you have not become a victim of fraud. Keep track of your receipts from online purchases to easily balance your statements.