How to recognize the signs that that wonderful promotion may be a scam
With the arrival of Black Friday this Friday, November 26th, many people are excited to take advantage of promotions — including ordering their favorite foods via delivery at a discount. In last year's edition, for example, iFood delivered 2.5 million orders on that date, and the champion, of course, was the burger, leader in delivery orders.
But, for this Friday to be all joy, you need to know how to shop safely. Last year, 140 thousand Brazilians complained about problems such as not receiving the product (22% of complaints) or false advertising (12.6%), according to the website Reclame Aqui — an increase of 15.5% compared to the 2019 event.
Most of the complaints had to do with delivery, and the products that generated the most complaints were televisions, cell phones, sneakers and refrigerators, according to the survey carried out by the website.
But other frauds can also harm consumers, such as buying from a company that doesn't exist or falling for false promotions that aim to steal their personal data (a practice known as phishing).
To avoid falling for this, you need to be wary of killer promotions. Febraban (Brazilian Federation of Banks) recommends caution when receiving a link via email or text message with promotions in which prices are significantly reduced.
The institution also warns that it is not a good idea to fill out forms with personal data to access Black Friday promotions. In both cases, the consumer gets excited and ends up providing personal data, which can lead to financial embezzlement later.
To enjoy Black Friday on iFood safely, update the app to reinforce security (as possible vulnerabilities have already been fixed) and never share codes sent to your cell phone or email, as this could allow other people to access your account.
During your purchase, if you see anything suspicious in one of the app's restaurants, access the QR Code and fill out the report form. And, when delivering, be careful not to fall into the machine scam.
How to protect yourself from fraud on Black Friday
Avoid shared internet
Public or shared devices and internet networks leave your information more exposed. To avoid this problem, do not use open Wi-Fi connection networks to make purchases.
Be careful with links
Fake promotions can be sent via email or text message with a link to complete the purchase, but in the end they are a bait for data theft. Instead of clicking, go to the company's website and check if it's authentic.
Pay attention to the URL
When placing orders using your browser, check the URL (page address) as it may be fake. To be sure, check if it is encrypted (identified by the presence of the “s” in https://) and if it has a padlock icon in the browser bar.
Investigate reputation
If you can, choose to buy from a website you already know. If you don't know the selling company, research its reputation by reading customer reviews online.
Keep an eye on the card
When making in-person purchases, always check the value on the machine before entering your password and check that the card returned to you is really yours.
Read the ticket
When paying by bank slip, check the name of the beneficiary company that appears at the time of payment in the app or on your bank's website to see if it is the same.
