See guidelines to avoid scams and other problems on Black Friday

Because ofscheduled for this Friday (28), online stores are full of promised offers. However, due to the greater movement of commerce during the date, consumers may face problems and even attempted scams while shopping online. There are several precautions that can be taken by consumers to prevent themselves while shopping online, recommended by experts and the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon).

Monitoring the price of products in advance or using websites that allow you to see changes in prices in recent months are good ideas to avoid falling for “false discounts” – when a company says it lowered the price without actually reducing it, or when the store raised the price before returning to the normal price later and claiming that there was a discount.

Comparing prices between different stores is also essential. Prices well below the standard should raise suspicion, especially in the case of stores without a proven track record. It is also equally important to ensure that the website you purchase from is trustworthy. To check if an unknown website is safe, the recommendation is to gather as much information as possible from the page, check if there is a CPNJ, check the CNPJ on the website search for the address and check if it exists.

It is also possible to research the page’s reputation on sites such as Reclame Aqui or consumer.gov.br, for example. THE also provides a list of company websites that are bad suppliers and should be avoided.

As for the payment method, it is safer to use a credit card or recognized intermediaries (such as secure payment platforms). On the other hand, for payments made with Pix it may be more difficult to obtain a refund. Therefore, it is necessary to be wary of stores that only accept or transfer.

When purchasing electronic equipment such as cell phones, Wi-Fi routers and repeaters, Bluetooth headphones, smartwatches and others, the National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) recommends that the consumer check whether the equipment is approved, that is, whether it has the seal it provides.

The agency indicates that it is necessary to make sure that you are not purchasing clandestine devices, which are often sold en masse during aggressive promotions. Products of this type may cause electric shocks, fires or overheating; impair the functioning of mobile networks, Wi-Fi or Bluetooth; compromise privacy and expose user data; in addition to performing much lower than expected.

See below for guidelines for online shopping on Black Friday

. Monitor product price fluctuations to check whether the discount is real;
. Use search engines and websites that show price history;
. Be wary of very low prices;
. Compare the price of the product on different, trustworthy websites;
. Be wary of websites that do not inform the delivery cost until the final payment stage;
. Check reviews on the consumer.gov.br portal and on complaint websites;
. In the case of electronics, check whether the equipment is approved with the Anatel seal;
. Do not click on offer links received via email, social media, WhatsApp or text messages;
. Check the list of sites to avoid according to Procon-SP;
. Use antivirus;
. Make sure you access the correct store websites, typing the link, or using the establishments’ official apps;
. Do not use public Wi-Fi networks;
. Use different passwords for logins on different websites;
. On unknown websites, check information such as CNPJ and store address, in addition to researching its reputation;
. Be wary of stores that only accept Pix or transfer;
. Check the total purchase price, including shipping and any fees;
. Evaluate whether the delivery time and the amount charged make sense for your region;
. Before paying in installments, check that the interest is informed and that the total amount fits into your budget;
. Use digital wallets or virtual credit cards for payments;
. Make a shopping list to avoid impulse buying.

*With information from Estadão Conteúdo