It should go without saying, but be careful if you’re going to shop online for Black Friday or Cyber Monday this year.
If you’re not, you could be one of more than two million Canadians who have been scammed during these two sale periods, according to a new survey from NordVPN. It’s a pretty sizeable number considering the cybersecurity company estimates that roughly 18 million Canadians plan to partake in Black Friday and/or Cyber Monday deals this year.
Further, the survey found that 32 percent of Canadians have experienced an online shopping scam in the past, a five percent increase from last year. Part of that likely comes from the fact that, per the survey, a whopping 88 percent of Canadians are willing to hand over at least some personal data in exchange for a discount, gift or “free” service. Further, 87 percent of those who’ve already dealt with a scam would still share their info for these savings.
Of course, sharing something like an email is commonplace and innocuous in and of itself. But all too often we hear about people posing as different companies or organizations — like Apple or the CRA — and asking for sensitive information like credit card numbers.
What’s even more alarming is the fact that the NordVPN survey found that to get a deal or freebie, eight percent would mention where they work, five percent of respondents would disclose credit card details and one percent would reveal their social insurance number. For a bargain, an additional three percent would even give their children’s names.
Besides not giving out such personal information, NordVPN says other best practices include making sure you’re buying from a reputable site (i.e. verifying the URL) and double-checking your bank statements to ensure there are no suspicious charges.
NordVPN conducted this survey in several countries between October 16th and 27th, with 1,000 Canadians being polled for this version.
On a related note, here’s how you can find the best deals in Canada.
For all carrier Black Friday offers, follow this link. For retailer Black Friday offers, follow this link.
Via: The Toronto Sun
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