Fake online shop scams surge ahead of festive shopping season
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The number of British consumers visiting fake online shops increased by more than a third (35%) in October, as fraudsters step up tactics ahead of busy shopping season
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13.4 million attempts to access fraudulent websites were recorded in a month in the UK, up from 9.9 million in September
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Cybersecurity experts at NordVPN warn about increasing criminal activity related to fake shops ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday
The number of Brits visiting fake online shops created by fraudsters increased by more than a third in October, as cybercriminals take advantage of the busy shopping season, according to a new report by NordVPN.
Analysis of NordVPN Threat Protection data shows online shopping scams targeting UK consumers surged 35% in a month, blocking 13.4 million attempted fraudulent connections in October — up from 9.9 million in September.
Security experts warn this trend could worsen as Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach.
Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity advisor at NordVPN, says the rise of AI tools has supercharged scammers’ ability to create convincing fake shops and defraud bargain hunters.
”Cybercriminals use these tools to quickly, easily, and efficiently create fake shops and increase their capabilities to scam people looking for the best deals.
“Sometimes criminals build up fake shops to collect payment card details and personal information, but sometimes this leads to direct financial loss — customers pay for products which they never get or sometimes get only the photo of the goods they purchased.”
According to a survey commissioned by YouGov, 32% of Brits are planning to shop on Black Friday – equivalent to 16.9million people – and 19% will seek good deals on Cyber Monday.
Additionally, a previous survey by NordVPN showed that almost a third of Brits have been scammed on shopping events like the Boxing Day sales, Black Friday, or Cyber Monday. This is the equivalent to 12 million consumers.
Cybersecurity experts warn that the rising wave of professionally-made websites could trick even more people into disclosing their personal data or falling for a scam by transferring money for a nonexistent product.
While some pages are developed as original shops, some are trying to trick people by impersonating well-known brands. To make it more believable, criminals use well-known typography tricks, such as replacing “Amazon” with “Arnason” in a URL, which has worked for well-known domains.
They also try to imitate trustworthy brand names like the infamous fake shop “Kardecian.com.” Now, criminals hide suspicious elements in the domain under a URL shortener. This often makes phishing websites look more trustworthy.
It is not just fake shops that Brits should be on the lookout for. NordVPN has also discovered that shoppers may end up receiving fake products, which may also be labelled as being a high-end designer brand but at heavily discounted prices.
These tactics, combined with the pressure of limited-time holiday deals, create an environment where even cautious shoppers might be vulnerable to fraud.
How to protect yourself from this year’s online shopping scams
Says Adrianus Warmenhoven: “The main strategy we encourage people to remember this shopping season is if the offer looks too good to be true or a lot of personal information is requested for you to get a deal — you are probably being scammed.
“Additionally, looking at small details in the shop – poor grammar, low-quality images, or broken links – is usually a clear sign that a shop is a fraud.”
The cybersecurity expert provides additional tips on how to protect yourself from scam websites and shop safely online:
1. Look for contact information. Legitimate websites will provide precise contact details, including a physical address, phone number, and email address. These details are usually found in the header, footer, or “About” page.
2. Review privacy policies and terms. Ensure the website has a clear privacy policy and accessible terms and conditions for returns, refunds, and shipping.
3. Avoid unusual payment methods. Be cautious if a site insists on unusual payment methods like wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. Scammers favour these methods because they are harder to trace.
4. Research the retailer. Do a quick search online of the retailer’s name along with keywords like “reviews” or “scams.” Avoid sites with mostly negative or suspicious reviews. Retailers offering unrealistic discounts should also be approached with caution.
5. Use cybersecurity and privacy tools. While the landscape of digital threats is rapidly changing, technology companies are developing tools to protect users from various threats.
