Black Friday, which this year will be celebrated from November 29 to December 2, has its origins in a tradition in the United States as the kick-off for Christmas sales after Thanksgiving Day. Over time, this event has become an important date for online commerce in Chile. During this day, retailers and businesses of all sizes nationwide use this date to boost pre-Christmas sales, consolidating in recent years as an unmissable moment in the country’s shopping calendar.
According to figures from the Santiago Chamber of Commerce, in 2023, sales generated during Black Friday exceeded USD 500 million, marking a growth of 18% over the previous year.
For this year, commerce expects a superior performance, hand in hand with new digital payment methods, such as payment links, mobile applications and QR codes, which has facilitated the purchasing process for consumers throughout the country”
With the increase in digital transactions, the risk of falling victim to online scams is also growing. In general, cybercriminals resort to phishing (messages or emails that mimic those of real businesses), or impersonation of websites in order to steal people’s personal and banking information.
Given this situation, Huircapan shared a series of recommendations to ensure safe shopping during this event.
Tips for safe shopping
during Black Friday
Check the security of the website Before making a purchase, make sure that the page is a secure site. That is, the URL begins with “https .” and displays a padlock icon in the address bar. This indicates that your data is protected by encryption.
Use secure connections Make your purchases exclusively from private Wi-Fi networks.
Public networks are highly vulnerable to attacks and could compromise the security of your banking data.
Be wary of offers that are too attractive If a promotion seems too good to be real, it is probably a scam.
These types of fake promotions are often used by scammers to lure unsuspecting victims.
Do your research before you buy Verify that websites have clear contact information and a reliable privacy policy.
Protect your mobile devices Download apps only from official stores, such as Google Play or the App Store, to minimize the risk of hacking or malware.
Keep your software up to date Make sure your browser, operating system and antivirus are up to date.
Updates often include security enhancements that protect against known vulnerabilities.
Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) Add an extra layer of security to your accounts by enabling 2FA.
This will require an additional step to verify your identity before completing any purchases.
Monitor your transactions and activate blocks. Don’t be impulsive, plan.
Huircapan insisted that, if you have doubts before buying, it is advisable to directly contact help channels of merchants and financial institutions, so that they can guide you in a more secure purchase.
