Amount lost to fraud increased by £1 million over a year.
Warnings have been issued about Black Friday deals, with the NCSC showed an increase in losses to fraud over the past year.
In a statement, the NCSC said Brits reported losing over £11.5 million to online criminals between November 2023 and January 2024, an increase from £10.6 million for the previous period.
Clothing, high-end tech products and cars were among the products featuring in scams
Lord Hanson, Fraud Minister, said: “Our message to anyone shopping online as we approach Black Friday is simple: if you come across anything that doesn’t feel right – stop what you’re doing, break contact, and do not click any links.
“This government is committed to defeating this scourge and we will continue our work with industry and other partners to better protect the public from this appalling crime.”
Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor, ESET, said: “Fraudulent Black Friday deals can land in a variety of ways from traditional targeted phishing emails to adverts found in webpages. Furthermore, interesting bargains advertising on social media are often not vetted to the same high standard people may assume, plus they can look convincing enough for people to part with their cash in a matter of moments.
“People tend to be manipulated even easier when their friends and contacts share deals with them in messaging apps or in group chats. These may not always be verified and could even come from compromised accounts which are difficult to spot. Making sure you don’t feel rushed into purchasing an item can save people from being scammed. Research and due diligence with new websites can help protect people’s hard earned cash.”
Written by
Dan Raywood
Senior Editor
SC Media UK
Dan Raywood is a B2B journalist with more than 20 years of experience, including covering cybersecurity for the past 16 years. He has extensively covered topics from Advanced Persistent Threats and nation-state hackers to major data breaches and regulatory changes.
He has spoken at events including 44CON, Infosecurity Europe, RANT Conference, BSides Scotland, Steelcon and ESET Security Days.
Outside work, Dan enjoys supporting Tottenham Hotspur, managing mischievous cats, and sampling craft beers.
