This week, turkey and pie isn’t the only thing on people’s minds. Many families dash from Thanksgiving dinner to start taking advantage of early deals for Black Friday one of the busiest shopping days of the year. I’ve watched news reports of people camping out at stores as early as last week! Lifelock wants you to be safe and to protect your identity while shopping Black Friday as well as Cyber Monday!
BE SAFE
1. Contrary to popular belief, don’t shred your receipts, save them. Keep receipts in order to compare them against your credit card statement. If anything fishy appears, you are better equipped to fight it.
2. If a company or store calls and asks for your PIN or SSN over the phone, it may be phishing. If this happens, the most secure way is to find an official retail contact number and contact them yourself.
3. Smartphones are not foolproof shopping devices. In 2011, a 76% increase in malware targeted at Android devices was cited. This made Android smartphones the most targeted smartphone platform. Malware has also been reported via holiday themed applications and QR codes.
4. Unfamiliar sites selling the “IT” items of the year can be fake. Scammers start setting up websites “selling” the “IT” gift each year, despite not actually having any supply to sell. Users can wind up paying for an item, giving credit card information, and never receiving the item, giving scammer access to your credit card information.
5. Online auction sites selling gift cards are more likely to be counterfeit or obtained through fraudulent means, according to the National Retail Federation. Best to buy them in a store and getting the authorization slip with your receipt.
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Mom Central Founder and CEO, author of four best-selling parenting books and mom expert, Stacy DeBroff, has developed a survival kit for families to avoid “sticky situations” when shopping for awesome deals on Black Friday:
BE PREPARED
Decide Before You Leave the House– Amid the adrenaline rush of deals, it’s easy to get swept up into buying items in retrospect you regret. Make a shopping list of key items you’re on the hunt for, and save all receipts in one place in case you want to return some impulse purchases and get a full refund.
Deals and Steals Online –Follow your favorite brands on Twitter, Facebook and other social media channels to see what they’re offering in special Black Friday discounts. Many retailers will be “leaking” their ads and specials a week beforehand. Also, the deals and prices online often prove better than those in the stores especially factoring in free or reduced shipping.
Map Out your Mall Shop–Based on which stores have special deals for items you want to purchase, plan out your shopping trip to save time searching. Plus find out stores hours as they often open earlier or stay open late on Black Friday to accommodate the crowds.
Beware of Shopping Germ Hot Spots–As you check out the newest mini-iPad or grab an electronic pen to sign a credit card receipt be mindful of germs lurking about in this start to the cold and flu season. Germs congregate on handle bars of shopping carts, escalator railings and display toys and gadgets ‹all touched by hundreds of shoppers. Throw into your purse an antibacterial travel pack such as the one from Wet Ones to wipe germs off hands.
Staying Fine while Waiting in Line–You can sometimes be waiting in line for hours on Black Friday. Go for comfort shoes over style, and take along a bottle of water, a protein snack such as bars, nuts and trail mix to keep your energy up. Best of all, find a new app to play on your phone to keep you entertained instead of frustrated.
Double Duty at the Mall for your Haul–Go shopping along with a friend or relative who can trade off with you taking the kids to the mall playground, arcade or another side excursion while you both finish picking up the Black Friday deals on your list.
Information provided to me as a Lifelock Ambassador, I am compensated for my time.
I’m not going out in all that craziness!I would rather order any thing I want on-line!