Business Insider asked experts for the warning signs that shoppers should be aware of when it comes to Black Friday deals. They include:
Meanwhile, the Detroit Free Press offers other tips to stay safe on Black Friday and Cyber Monday:• Don't fall for early temptations — the deals could be better on the actual day of Black Friday. Don't fall for early temptations; the deals could be better on the actual day of Black Friday.
• Watch out for deceptive store hours.
• Be careful with handing out sensitive information when you're calling stores to put items on hold.
• Examine all delivery-related emails and texts closely — some of them may not be legitimate.
• Beware of fake offers from non-trusted and third-party sites.
• Don't fall for unusually high discounts or sales.
• Watch out for stores suspending their price-matching policies, or else you could end up stuck with a bad purchase.
• Read the fine print on coupons and promotions — your favorite products might be excluded.
• Be wary of freebies. • Beware of door-buster deals.
• You'd be wise to ignore deals on certain products that will get even cheaper at other times of the year — even as early as December.
• Beware of pitches for hot toys you can't find.
• React fast if your password doesn't work.
• Take the extra steps for ID verification.
• Examine that gift card before you buy it.
• Don't fall for text from the bank — it's a scam.
• Be aware of e-skimming.
• Be wary of attachments in any email that you receive.
• Use a credit card, instead of a debit card online, for more consumer protection.
