Black Friday, TikTok Shop, YouTube Shopping… Fique atento a golpes!

Black Friday is one of the most anticipated dates by consumers, but also one of the ones that attract scammers. From fake promotions to cloned sites, fraud attempts increase significantly in the period.This year, with the arrival of new forms of purchase such as TikTok Shopping and YouTube Shopping, the risk scenario expands: viral products, fake ads and irresistible offers are some of the traps used to deceive consumers LOI, a global influencer marketing agency, the growth of social commerce requires extra attention not to turn the search for discounts into a headache.

“During Black Friday, consumer behavior changes: there is a greater rush to seize opportunities and a reduction in critical thinking in the face of low prices. Scammers take advantage of exactly this” impulse, explains Ze Lucas Dias, Creative Analyst at LOI.

In recent months, scams involving popular platforms such as the TikTok Shop have also ignited the alert.Many videos with millions of views falsely advertised viral products such as the Bobbie Goods, children's painting books that have become a fever among influencers and directed consumers to fake websites that imitated the official store.According to LOI, this type of scam should intensify during Black Friday, when the number of ads and impulsive purchases increases.

“These traps exploit the trust generated by legitimate-looking videos and fake reviews.With Black Friday, attention drops and the number of victims tends to grow”, reinforces Ze.

To help consumers protect themselves, the expert has put together five practical guidelines that help avoid digital pitfalls and scams common at this time of year.

1. Be wary of promotions received by messages or social networks

Links shared via WhatsApp, SMS or Instagram profiles with “super discounts” usually direct to fake websites.“A A common scam is to use pages with the identical look and feel to that of large retailers such as Amazon, TikTok Shop or Shopee, to capture credit card data”, alerts.

2. Check if the website is official and safe

Before entering any personal data, make sure the site has the security padlock (HTTPS) and the domain is legitimate.“Frauders create subtle variations, such as magazineluiza.com, to deceive the hurried consumer”, complements Ze.

3. Beware of offers on video ads and fake profiles

During Black Friday, it is common to see ads on networks with viral products such as electronics and toys, at prices far below average. These videos can use images of real influencers or known brands without authorization.“This is exactly what happened in the case of the Bobbie Goods in the TikTok Shop: fake ads have multiplied using legitimate videos to attract clicks. The consumer should always confirm that the purchase link leads to the official store”, explains the expert.

4. Avoid paying for Pix in unfamiliar stores

While Pix is fast and practical, it is the preferred payment method in scams, as transfers are instant and difficult to reverse. Give preference to methods that offer consumer protection, such as credit card or recognized digital wallets.

5. Use comparators and monitor prices before Black Friday

Fraudsters also take advantage of the “false” promotion, raising prices days earlier to apply fictitious discounts.“Tools like the Buscape and the Zoom they help to check the price history and ensure that the discount is real”, recommends Ze.

According to the expert, the main tip is to stay calm and not act on impulse.“A Black Friday is a great buying opportunity, but it is only worth it if the consumer is safe. Information and attention continue the best ways to avoid” loss, concludes Ze Lucas.