Shoppers seeking deals on luxury advent calendars are being urged to remain vigilant as online scams surge.
Advent calendars have moved far beyond simple chocolate treats or pictures hidden behind each door. Today, they feature high-end products such as beauty items, luxury food and drink, and even jewellery.
Fraudulent deals ahead of Black Friday
Consumer group Which? is warning the public to watch out for fraudulent deals that look enticing, but are too good to be true, especially in the lead-up to Black Friday sales.
Cosmetics retailer Space NK has sounded the alarm after noticing fake adverts circulating on social media. These scams have been promoting the retailer’s £250 advent calendar at an implausible price of £28.99.
Jini Sanassy from Space NK told the BBC that they are aware that fraudulent imitations of their website is circulating on social media platforms.
Targeted on Social Media
Jini pointed out that customers have been targeted through ads on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. These adverts have falsely advertised deep discounts on sought-after products, including the popular advent calendar, which is already sold out.
The issue has been reported to Meta and Space NK’s legal team are working to shut these websites down.
Expert advice for shoppers
Lisa Webb, a consumer law expert at Which?, highlighted that the rise in luxurious advent calendars has attracted more scammers.
It’s important to be wary of scammers trying to take advantage in the run-up to Black Friday and Christmas.
Black Friday, which began as a post-Thanksgiving sale in the US, has evolved over the years to span the entire month of November for many retailers.
Previous scam alerts
Last year, scam adverts falsely promoted the £350 advent calendar from the perfume and beauty brand Jo Malone for just £30.
Consumers are advised to scrutinise website URLs (the web address) closely and to question any offers that seem unusually low. As the saying goes,
“If it’s too good to be true, it probably is.”
Any suspicious websites can be reported directly to the National Cyber Security Centre.
Source: BBC
