Black Friday is one of the most hyped shopping days of the year, not to mention one of the biggest days for email marketing campaigns! The holiday season is great for your marketing as it allows you to offer special deals and promotions to your customers however there is also a downside, the impact of online scams. Let’s look at a how to spot if a deal is genuine or a scam.
1) Check the sender Address
We often check to see the name of the sender not the email domain in which sent us the email. The sender domain is key to reassuring you of who an email comes from. One way to identify a phishing email address is if the sender's email address looks almost right but contains extra characters or misspellings. If you see an email using a large string of numbers in front of the @sign or if they are using a free ISP such as Gmail or Hotmail it could be fake.
2) Misspellings and/or bad grammar either in the subject line or anywhere in the message.
Scam emails will often have misspellings or bad grammar throughout. Checking the use of the language in the message is key. Another sign is if the email addresses you with generic terms such as "Mr." or "Ms." or "Dear Customer" instead of by name. If a company has you on their mailing list, they will address you by your first or last name. Scammers also go to great lengths to ensure the email looks convincing by applying the correct branding used by a legitimate company.
3) You are prompted to click a link
If the message in the email warns that you need to take immediate action and asks you to click a link and enter personal details, especially payment information this is a sign of a scam. If the message promises a refund, coupons, or other freebies this is also something to look out for. Make sure you go direct to a company’s site to purchase something rather than following a link and entering in your important credit card details.
Black Friday scams are much like any other scam, the difference is that they are highly targeted in line with the event so there can be a lot more of them to be on the lookout for. If you are an online retailer or you wish to send a promotion to your clients you should help make your customers experience as safe as possible by sending from a recognisable email address and avoiding links in the emails you send to customer. Instead encourage your customers to visit your site to find out more. Secure your website against common attacks and continue to follow good privacy practices.
Email marketing is important for brand awareness around the holiday season and we love encouraging Christmas newsletters and campaigns however it is important to stay cybersmart and be aware of the scams that are out there. It is also important to help your customers feel safe when you are contacting them. Contact us today if you need any help with your holiday marketing!
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