Shoppers urged to watch out for Black Friday scams

Scottish shoppers have been warned to avoid “too good to be true” deals on Black Friday.

The sales event, which takes place on November 29, involves products being discounted by retailers across the UK and online.

Black Friday is an American tradition, held one day after Thanksgiving, but the concept was introduced to the UK in 2010.

Consumer advice charity, consumeradvice.scot, has urged people to use caution when looking to find deals.

Marjorie Gibson, the charity’s head of operations, said: “Black Friday has become a phenomenon in Scotland and across the UK, with thousands of bargains on offer.

“But sometimes those deals really are too good to be true and people can be duped by online scams.

“Realising that you may have been the victim of a scam can be extremely upsetting and worrying.

“As soon as you realise that it’s a scam you should stop all contact with the scammer and if you’ve paid on a credit or debit card then you can ask your card provider if they’ll refund the payment

“It’s very important to report any potential scams as soon as possible, as this helps Trading Standards take action to ensure others don’t fall victim to the scammers.”

Vicky Brock, chief executive and co-founder of Vistalworks, which aims to help consumers avoid buying fake, illicit and dangerous goods online, said: “With shoppers feeling like they’re racing against the clock to pick up some bargain Christmas gifts before they’re snapped up by someone else, dodgy traders and online scammers recognise we are vulnerable and distracted – and they have tricks ready to take advantage of this.

“Bad sellers can hide amongst the good and even the savviest shopper can get ripped off when they’re on a quest for a bargain or hard to find item.

“For this reason, Vistalworks is creating innovative new consumer protection software to help keep online shoppers safe from harm of dangerous, fake and unlicensed products when they shop online.”