All Gmail users placed on red alert - watch out for these Black Friday emails

Several firms have issued Black Friday email warnings (Image: Getty)

If you’re logging in to your Gmail, Outlook or Apple Mail inboxes this week to see what offers you’ve been sent, it’s worth being vigilant.

Security firm Bitdefender said three in four Black Friday spam emails sent are scams. After analysing Black Friday themed emails sent so far this year, 77 percent were fraudulent, a seven percent increase over 2023.

This doesn’t mean three quarters of the emails you receive will be scams, but rather of all emails sent globally, only one in four are legitimate.

Along with the US, the UK and Europe are top targets for cybercriminals, with Europe accounting for 44 percent of global scam email activity for Black Friday this year. Five percent of all scams worldwide on the topic landed in UK inboxes.

According to Action Fraud, in the UK between November 2023 and January 2024, a period that included Black Friday, £11.5 million was lost to online shopping fraud.

Gareth Lister, Director of Connectivity at Virgin Media O2 has given several tips on how to stay safe when trying to bag that best Black Friday deal this year. He recommends adding two-step verification to your accounts so you have to confirm payments twice.

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Needing to verify a payment using SMS codes or authenticator apps is a good way to stop scammers buying things on your cards if they’re able to get hold of your payment information. They can do this if you fall victim to a scam email, some of which pretend to be familiar retailers but in fact are phishing scams that can convince you to unwittingly pass over sensitive card details.

“If you’re in a hurry to secure a good deal but are unable to make the purchase yourself, i.e. if you’re in a meeting at work and urgently need someone you trust to checkout on your behalf, avoid sending them your bank details or a picture of your bank card via text,” Lister said. “Just as we’re advised to shred sensitive documents, avoid leaving personal information like your banking details vulnerable should your phone, or your confidants, be stolen.”

He also said that if a deal looks too good to be true, it could well be a scam.

“Look out for tell-tale signs such as typos in email offers or odd requests from a phone call fraudster impersonating a company that “needs your personal information”. Be confident in hanging up if something doesn’t feel right and contact the company directly to confirm if it’s real or not.”

Online protection company McAfee told Express.co.uk that festive scams are hitting Gen Z the hardest. When surveying more than 7,000 people, it found 36 percent of all scam victims globally were aged 18 to 24.

Meanwhile, the firm said one in five Brits have fallen victim to an online shopping scam at this time of year. McAfee provided a list of the top types of fake emails and texts your should be looking out for this Black Friday that should raise a big red flag:

1. “You’ve won a prize” type messages (68%)
2. Fake missed delivery or delivery problem notification (64%)
3. Amazon security alert or account update notification (36%)
4. Information about a purchase you didn’t make (34%)
5. An issue with your credit card or bank account (34%)
6. Fake job scam where a position needs to be filled quickly (21%)
7. Netflix (or a similar streaming service) subscription updates (20%)

“The festive season is one that many look forward to and that’s not just consumers and retailers, but scammers looking to make a quick buck,” said Vonny Gamot, Head of EMEA at McAfee.

“With AI-powered tools, we’re seeing near-perfect imitations of trusted brand messages and websites. While it’s no longer just a case of looking out for misspelled words and grammar issues, a scammer will always use a sense of urgency to pressure people into acting. We’re encouraging everyone to stay cautious and to always go direct to the source to protect their information.

“Keep your guard up, think before you click and stay one step ahead to keep your festive season merry and safe.”