Dosh dilemma: Anna’s Black Friday bargain scam

Anna was excited for Black Friday. She’d been saving up to buy a new laptop and spotted an amazing deal online. A well-known retailer appeared to be selling a laptop worth £800 for just £299.

The website looked genuine, and the deal was advertised as a Black Friday special that would end in 10 minutes.

Anna didn't want to miss out, so she quickly entered her bank details and paid.

A few hours later, she received an email confirming her order. But, the email looked unusual. When she tried to visit the website again, it had disappeared.

Anna checked her bank account and realised that £299 had left her account. She began to worry that she’d been scammed.

What should Anna do?

Contact her bank

Anna should contact her bank immediately using the number on her bank card or the official banking app. She should explain what happened and ask whether the payment can be stopped or recovered.

Report the scam

She should report the incident to Report Fraud in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or call 0300 123 2040.

Keep evidence

Anna should save screenshots, emails, payment confirmations and the website address.

Check websites carefully

It’s easily said with hindsight, but it’s always best shopping through the retailer's official website rather than clicking on adverts or unexpected links.

Avoid pressure

Genuine retailers should not need customers to rush into purchases because a countdown timer is running.

If a Black Friday deal, or any kind of deal, looks too good to be true, it could be a scam.

Taking a few minutes to check before paying could save you a lot of money.