Shropshire organisation warns of dangers of Black Friday
Black Friday may provide great bargains for some but a warning has been issued that there are also dangers.
Shropshire’s Just Credit Union says it is ‘very easy’ to get caught out by online scammers.
There is also a temptation to over-spend and many deals on the November 24 date may not be as great as they first appear.
Steve Barras, Just Credit Union Development Officer, said: "It's important to plan ahead and make a list of items you really want and target them on the day.
"This will help to avoid overspending and getting side-tracked by offers on products you don’t want or need.
“Remember, however good the deal, if you really don’t need it, it is not a bargain.
"We would also warn people to be very careful when using ‘Buy Now Pay Later’ schemes which can be very tempting, but it is very easy to get over-committed and have a debt hangover to deal with in the new year.”
Just Credit Union are recommending people to do their research, shop around and use price tracking as well as price comparison sites to make sure the offer is a real bargain.
The locally based financial co-operative suggests factoring in all the costs with things like delivery adding up.
Steve added: “It is important to have a budget and if you do need to borrow make sure it is planned as well as having a clear plan for repaying it.
"Just Credit Union provides a repayment calculator where people can find a loan amount and repayment that suits them.
“We will also make sure any loan is affordable and will even set up a savings account so that people can start saving for summer holidays or next year’s Christmas spending.”
Key actions which can be taken to stay safe include:
1. Research the seller to check they are genuine and avoid those with poor ratings.
2. Stick to trusted websites, and look out for the green padlock next to the web address in your web browser's URL bar – this means it's a certified retail website.
3. The web address should start 'https' not just 'http' - the extra 's' stands for secure, and means you can trust it with your financial details.
4. Don't click on any links or attachments in emails you're unsure about.
5. Keep your PIN, passcode and passwords a secret - don't ever share them.
6. Avoid entering your card details on shared and public computers.
7. Always log out after shopping online - and save a record of your purchase.
8. Remember "If a deal looks too good to be true, it's probably a fraud!"
