#CyberMonday is coming…

News and information from the Advent IM team.

A festive and timely contribution from Del Brazil.

Those of you that are familiar with the term Black Friday should also be familiar with Cyber Monday which this year falls on 27th November. Those of you who have not come across the term should really put down your pipe and slippers and join the fast lane.
If you love getting the latest tech at the lowest prices then Cyber Monday 2017 something that you should have a good look at. Cyber Monday quickly follows Black Friday and completes the busiest weekend of the year for Christmas shopping.

Cyber Monday first came about approximately 10 years ago and was intended to encourage more and more people to shop online. Traditionally web retailers offer a ‘one off’ discount on this day but don’t necessarily be drawn into the frenzied world of last minute internet shopping as you’ll still probably be able to but that special item after the event and maybe even at a cheaper price. Major retailers hype up Cyber Monday so that you’ll visit their website and more than likely then buy something.
So why is there a Blog on the Advent IM website you might be asking yourself? Well there are always a number of criminal organisations out there who are always looking to make a quick buck as much as you are looking to make a quick saving. So, we at Advent IM thought it would be a good idea to refresh your memories on what to look out for whilst shopping on the internet…

Avoid following links to special offers that you’ve received via email, if it looks too good to be true then it probably is.

Go directly to the retailer’s website rather than being forwarded via another website unless you explicitly trust the forwarding website.

Shop around, if the item you’re looking for is available at a certain price with one retailer you’ll probably find it at the same price at another retailer who may be offering free delivery, a faster postal service, longer guarantee or even a better returns policy so you can return the item if it’s not suitable.

Before you start to enter any personal details in any checkout/shopping basket, look at the following:

Is the address bar now green depicting a secure connection?
Does the website address start with https again depicting a secure connection?
Is there a padlock at the end of the web address which again should denote a secure connection/website? If you’re unsure then click on the padlock and the website’s certificate should be displayed indicating as to when the expiry date is.
Does the website look well put together, professional and like you would expect it to? Are there any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors or missing corporate logos?

If you’ve answered no to any of the above then you’re probably not using a bonafide or safe website and such you should not input any personal or financial data.

Now you’ve established that the website is secure and trustworthy you can hope that the item you want is actually in stock and available to be delivered before Christmas.

Remember to tick/untick those little boxes that tells the company to send you marketing emails and that you’re content for them to pass your details onto to other companies that they think you’d be interested in.

Dependent upon what bank you use will denote as to whether you need to pass a separate banking validation service. This will involve you inputting a selected number of characters/numbers that you’ve already set up with you bank; however in the event that you can’t remember you pass phrase/code then don’t guess. It is possible that the suspicious webpage you are using are tricking you into putting in different letters each time and thus actually capturing what you actual pass phrase/code is.
Once you’ve passed all the security verification process and your payment has been authorised, delivery date confirmed and email confirmation has been received then you just hope that your delivery arrives safely.

Make a note of things you are expecting and when and how they will be delivered. This will help to stop you falling victim to the numerous parcel delivery scam that are so common at this time of year.

Still want to shop online? Then go for it and enjoy endless clicking, tutting and disappointments as the items you’re trying to buy are likely to sell out quicker than you can complete your order details.

Joking aside, please remember to shop sensibly, wisely but above all safely.

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