With Christmas fast approaching, the season of bargains kicks off in November as Black Friday and Cyber Monday give you the chance to grab a great deal.
However, the explosion in popularity of this shopping extravaganza has made it a popular target for hackers, scammers and cybercriminals looking to extort hard-earned cash from shoppers.
Don’t worry, though, as we’ve got some great tips to keep you safe this Black Friday.
Beware of the phishing threat
One of the most popular ways scammers try to target victims during events like Black Friday is through the use of phishing emails.
While they’ve been around for a while, phishing emails still prove to be effective, especially if you’re looking for a deal that seems too good to be true.
Scams aim to use legitimate-looking emails containing realistic elements such as similar trademarks and corporate images to spoof the real company and trick users into clicking on malicious links.
Luckily, Complete Bitdefender security (opens in a new tab) comes with a range of tools to protect you from such scams, including advanced phishing protection to help detect and block malicious websites that try to steal your financial details, passwords or credit card numbers, and an advanced filtering system to warn you if you visit sites that may try to scam you, hopefully help keep you safe.
Keep all your devices safe
We are all aware of the need to protect our computing devices from the latest cybersecurity threats, but you really should make sure that all your smart products are safe during such a potentially risky time.
Since bargain break notifications are often sent via email or pop-ups, many of us will be using a smartphone or mobile device this Black Friday, so making sure these items are kept safe as well is very important.
It only takes one device to fall victim to a scam or virus to compromise the entire network Complete Bitdefender security (opens in a new tab)y is able to secure all your devices, running on multiple versions of the best software, including Windows, macOS, Android and iOS.
It also offers up to 15 devices covered per household plan, so you can rest assured that all your most important devices are protected.
Run your VPN on something else
Most of us will now be familiar with using some kind of VPN service, and remote work will require such tools to access company systems, data or documents.
But if you’re looking for great deals this Black Friday, a VPN can not only keep you safe but also save you money.
A VPN hides your IP address and connection to make your location appear different. This means that no one can track your internet activity or find out where you are, but also that you can see if the prices are lower on the foreign version of the retailer’s website. Making some comparisons can save you some serious money and Complete Bitdefender security (opens in a new tab) it comes with its own Secure VPN service which offers complete online privacy along with a limit of 200 MB per device per day, allowing you to shop wisely.
Be smart
In the end, our most important piece of advice might just be to stay vigilant this Black Friday.
You may think that you are not an attractive target for hackers or fraudsters, but criminals will always be eager to steal the data you work with.
Always make sure the emails or websites you click on are legitimate, especially if they start asking for personal or business information, so you don’t hand over valuable data without your knowledge.
Complete Bitdefender security includes a range of tools to keep you from falling victim to identity theft, from expert social networking protection to a strong privacy firewall. The platform also offers an enhanced vulnerability assessment that scans for possible vulnerabilities, such as missing Windows security patches and potentially unsafe system settings, before suggesting the best security fix.
To stay up to date on all the latest threats, you can also get real-time updates on malware outbreaks and scams Bitdefender Blog (opens in a new tab).