Black week is here and the Swedes are getting ready to shop for Christmas. The Internet is full of offers and discounts that entice you to order home more goods than you might be used to.
When shopping online, it is important to be aware of yourself and your surroundings. Frauds are becoming more and more common in Sweden, not least those that take place via the internet.
During a busy shopping period such as Black week and Black Friday, the activity of fraudsters who want to access your money increases, which the payment service Swish recently warned about.
“Black Friday is approaching, which for many marks the start of the annual Christmas shopping. It is not only shopping that is gaining momentum, but also the activity of fraudsters. And everyone can be affected,” Swish wrote on his website.
READ MORE: Swish warns of fraud – just this week
Photo: Andreas Hillergren/TTSvens especially vulnerable
Diego Lopezhead of cyber security at IT-total, explains why Swedes in particular are some of those who are particularly at risk when it comes to internet fraud.
– With a digitally advanced population that does a lot of e-shopping and is good at English, we are particularly affected. We also know that we are particularly vulnerable to spam from actors who want to deceive us, he says in a press release.
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This is how you stay safe on the internet
To keep yourself safe, there are several things you should consider, says López. First of all, it is important that you always assess the risk of the online store you want to shop from.
“Fake websites and scam shops are common methods cybercriminals use to trick consumers,” he explains, adding three tips to spot one:
It is also important to be skeptical of offers that may be too good to be true.
Photo: Claudio Bresciani/TT
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Therefore, you should not pay by card
A third piece of advice is that it is generally not good to use your physical card to pay on the internet.
The reason is that you then give out your card number, which is a risk. For example, if you pay that way on a scam site, fraudsters will gain access to your card details.
Instead, if the possibility exists, you should pay with Swish, Apple Pay or Google Pay. With these services, you don’t have to enter your card number to pay, which is much safer.
“Digital wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay are not only convenient – they are also safer than using your physical card. Since the card number is never shared when paying, the risk of the information being stolen via skimming or hacked card readers is reduced,” states Diego Lopez in the press release.
READ MORE: Police are warning about these scams – valid this week
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