UK households issued Black Friday warning and ignoring it could cost £700

Shoppers lose £700 on average to scams each and every Black Friday, it has been warned. It comes after Barclays issued a Black Friday warning as the Bank’s data shows purchase scams have risen consistently since 2021 – with 72 per cent originating on social media.

Jane Hawkes, the founder of Lady Janey, warned that consumers have to be on high alert and said: "Cyber-crooks are bombarding consumers with emails that are designed to trick them into revealing sensitive information like banking and credit card details.

"In the past few days, banks, building societies and online retailers have issued warnings as the nation gets ready to spend. Data released by Action Fraud revealed that there were more than 16,000 reports of online shopping fraud during last year’s festive season.

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"Many fraudsters rely on text and email messages that appear to be from legitimate businesses but contain links to fake websites that are designed to harvest bank logins and credit card details." She added: "Cyber security firm Bitdefender estimates that 77 per cent of Black Friday-themed spam emails are scams, while Barclays says the average loss on a shopping scam is £700.

"Attackers are becoming more creative: They are now tailoring their tactics and messaging for greater appeal to different groups of shoppers in specific demographics and regions." More than half of Black Friday shoppers worry about being scammed – with four in 10 of those shunning the sales opting out due to scam fears. Only one in two conduct checks before committing to a purchase when shopping during the Black Friday sales period.

Barclays Fraud & Scams Expert Kirsty Adams has also this week shared tips on how to stay “scam smart” and avoid falling victim to a purchase scam in the Black Friday sales. She said: “We’re advising people to take their time to shop safely and securely this Black Friday. Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, so even those clued up on scam tactics could find that they’re susceptible. No matter how scam-smart you think you are, all shoppers should do their research – check a seller is legitimate by reading reviews and avoid clicking on any links or ads, instead going direct to the brand’s website.”