SYP: Be 'extra vigilant' of online scammers during the Black Friday sales
We've been speaking to South Yorkshire Police about the risks associated with online shopping throughout Black Friday
People across South Yorkshire are being reminded to 'stay cautious' online whilst looking out for any Black Friday deals.
The sales event-which's taking place today-typically involves a number of items being reduced as a way of marking the start of the Christmas shopping season.
However, Phil Butterworth from South Yorkshire Police says it's also the perfect opportunity for scammers:
"People see Black Friday as the main event leading up to Christmas where there's lots of bargains to be had.
"People are trying to get their Christmas shopping done and that just increases the risk of people buying items at a reduced price, but these might not be legitimate goods.
"These people may be buying things thinking that they're getting a bargain, but, in reality, they're getting nothing.
"Think carefully about what you're doing online. Do your research, and only purchase an item when you're 100% happy to do so.
"There's a lot more opportunists working to scam people online when Black Friday is on.
"Look at the website you're on; there should be a little padlock at the top of the web browser which will indicate that it's secure."
Mr. Butterworth, who works in the Digital Investigations Unit within South Yorkshire Police, admits this type of crime isn't always easy to solve:
"A lot of this kind of criminality takes place overseas, so it is difficult to catch offenders.
"The best way of stopping it is by getting the protect message out there, and to stop people clicking on unsafe links or buying from fraudulent websites."