Common social media shopping scams

1. Fake or cloned websites: One of the most common scam tactics involves directing shoppers to websites that look identical to those of reputable brands. These sites use similar branding, logos, and layouts, but have subtle differences in the URL, such as .co instead of .com or .co.za. The pressure of losing out on the Black Friday deal can make consumers less vigilant, which fraudsters exploit by creating fake sites that lure shoppers in with unbeatable offers.
2. Deceptive dropshipping ads: Several ads on social media lead to dropshipping sites masquerading as local businesses, promising quick delivery and premium products. Shoppers may not realize they’ve purchased low-quality knockoffs until their orders arrive, with little to no recourse for returns or refunds. These ads often present as South African-based companies but are sourcing cheap goods from overseas, relying on the perception that because the advert appears on a reputable social media platform, the store is 100% legitimate too.
3. Phishing for personal and payment details: Social media scams frequently employ fake checkout pages or order forms to harvest sensitive information. These sites often display trusted payment icons, creating a false sense of legitimacy. If a site linked to social media seems suspicious, avoid entering personal details. Scammers often use this information for fraudulent transactions.
4. Black Friday giveaways and limited offers: Scam ads offering Black Friday giveaways or urging users to act quickly are designed to bypass normal caution. These pages might ask users to claim a prize by entering personal information or paying a small fee. Countdown timers and ‘last chance’ messages are used to create a sense of urgency, but it’s worth keeping in mind that legitimate retailers don’t use these methods like this to pressure shoppers.

Tips for social media shoppers

• Only trust ads from verified brand accounts, indicated by a blue checkmark, and review their post history and follower count to ensure you’re engaging with the real account.
• Double-check URLs carefully. Scammers use slight URL variations to mimic official sites. When in doubt, type the brand’s website into your browser directly.
• Take a second look at deals that seem too good to be true. While Black Friday discounts are enticing, extreme markdowns, especially on high-end products, are red flags not to be ignored.
• Check for clear contact details. Legitimate sites usually display a customer service phone number, address, or live chat. A lack of contact options should be viewed with suspicion.
• Ensure your security is up to date. Cybersecurity solutions like antivirus, firewalls, and internet protection must be installed on any connected device, especially your mobile phone.

It’s important to balance the excitement of shopping with a healthy dose of caution. By being a bit more vigilant, consumers avoid cybercriminals looking to make a quick buck. If a deal or an ad feels off, take a moment to double-check because protecting yourself online is just as important as finding a Black Friday bargain.

Editor’s Note: This article is written by Cybersecurity specialists at ESET Southern Africa

The post How to Stay ahead of Social Media Shopping Scams this Black Friday appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

This is no stranger to Jumia, one of the biggest eCommerce platforms in Africa. Jumia is found of giving offers such as discounts, hot sales, coupons or vouchers to its customers as one of the ways of to keep them shopping on the platform as well as a build of trust.

Jumia has adopted the Black Friday movement, offering its customers a chance to shop products at discounted rates across its product categories from electronics & appliances to fashion to tech to beauty & health, among others.

Jumia Uganda particular kicks off it’s Black Friday celebration on Nov. 6th until Nov. 30th, 2020 and the best deals and offers are via its mobile application. They are offering discounts of up to 80% off on popular brands such as Apple, Samsung, Nokia, Johnson & Johnson, Jameson,Pampers and many more.

The eCommerce site via the app, will be selling the newly introduced iPhone 12 at UGX2,499,000 from UGX4,600,000. Its predecessor the iPhone 11 will be sold at UGX2,899,000 from UGX4,500,000. The new launched Infinix HOT 10 Lite is sold at UGX389,000 from UGX500,000. To mention a few products. Therefore, taking advantage of the app is better than using the website.

Download the Jumia app from App Store (iOS users) or Google Playstore (Android users) and start planning your shopping in advance.

While the popular campaign is offering consumers affordable pricing on a wide assortment of products, it is also supporting SMEs and local vendors whose sales were greatly impacted by the COVID-19 restriction measures enacted earlier in the year.

“This year’s Black Friday campaign is different from our past campaigns. It comes at a time when a lot of our vendors are struggling to get back on their feet after having been affected by COVID-19. This campaign will therefore help them to leverage the hype and excitement around Black Friday to reach more customers,” Jumia Uganda CEO; Ron Kawamara said in a press statement.

Last year, Jumia reportedly hit over 100 million unique visitors across its platform in Africa during. This year, the company believes that the event is expected to attract an even bigger number as more consumers turn online to enjoy convenience and contactless safe delivery.

The campaign will be available for consumers across the country to enjoy as the eCommerce platform to all locations in the country.

Happy shopping and stay safe.

The post Jumia Black Friday, Best Offers are via the App appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

Those unaware, Black Friday is the most highly anticipated, and most competitive shopping day of the year which is regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. As the first day after the last major holiday before Christmas, it marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season. It is the one time in a year where customers are offer exclusive deals on products or services including unbelievable discounts that can go up-to 80% across all product categories, special sales hours to overwhelm them. Some of the product categories expected to offer slashed prices include; electronics & appliances, fashion, tech, beauty & health, to mention a few.

Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us will be cutting back on in-store visits to shop online instead. And that’s going to alter the nature of holiday promotions, too.

However, because this is a competitive shopping day, finding the best offers and keeping the frustration—and overspending—to a minimum, you need to;

1. Having a plan

Right when the sales are announced, you can start planning what you’re buying, from where, and what time to line up. It is a good strategy because hot products may quickly sell out, and therefore you need to grab them as soon as possible, so they show up on your door step.

2. Downloading the app

Unlike websites, most apps are designed to make shopping better. There is a whole world of apps out there that you can use and some are specifically targeted at the Black Friday. Some compile the best deals in your area and send the information directly to your phone in the lead-up to the big day. Others curate all the best coupons and keep track of all your store reward points.

3. Do your research, and create a budget—and stick to it

Being knowledgeable about the items you want to buy will help you avoid being sucker-punched with loud advertising for iffy deals, thus researching at least a week before the D-day (Black Friday) is of an advantage to you. Why, it will help you create a budget that you should stick to. It’s really easy to get caught up in the excitement and overspend. Decide ahead of time how much you want to spend on your Black Friday shopping spree, and do your best to resist impulse buying, especially if you’re not sure how good a deal is.

4. Compare prices for the best deals

Use price-comparison internet shopping sites to assist you in comparing product prices. Compare the “options” included with the product. Some retailers will lowball an advertised price on a stripped-down product and then charge you extra for the necessary parts that will make it perform as expected. A good example of this is super low-priced computer printers that come without the cable or printer ink.

5. Use social media

Social media is the one place you should look at to get the best deals on Black Friday shopping. The Facebook pages, Instagram posts, and Twitter feeds is one of the ways your favorite retailers post/share about exclusive deals and promotions. Taking advantage of this will be of help to you so much. Retailers also sometime often reward customers who like or follow them with special alerts to Black Friday discounts and incentives.

Develop a plan, do some preliminary research, download your stores or any Black Friday app, take advantage of social media and this will help ensure that your Black Friday is a shopping success. Have fun saving money while you shop!

The post Black Friday is Here, 5 Ways of Preparing for it to Have a Successful Shopping appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

This year’s edition will be running from Nov 8th to Nov 29th and will offer customers daily discounts of up to 80% off on a wide range of products from various brands like Samsung, Hisense as well as new and exclusive brands like Mewe, Changhong and others.

“This year we want to reward our customers with even bigger deals than last Year, Consequently, we have signed Up more sellers onto our platform and partnered with new brands. Ultimately, we want to provide Ugandan shoppers with the widest selection of offers,” Jumia Uganda CEO Ron Kawamara added.

Some of the deals to expect from this year’s Black Friday sale include the exclusive launch of the brand new Redmi 8A at UGX463,500, the Nokia 1 Plus at UGX323,000 that comes with a free Nokia 105 feature phone and the lowest priced 32″ TV on the market from new brand MeWe at UGX439,000, to mention a few.

“Our Black Friday sale doesn’t just benefit the consumers but it will also bring in more revenue for the sellers listed on our website, our logistics partners & the Ugandan economy overall,” added Kawamara.

Additionally, Jumia is running Treasure Hunt contests where you stand a chance to win phones at 99% off.

There will also be nationwide delivery in Uganda & express delivery in Kampala. Customers can pay using MTN Mobile Money or pay with cash on delivery. Customers also get to enjoy 7-day cash back return policy.

The post Jumia Black Friday Launched, Predicted to be Bigger Than Predecessors appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

Bezos once again passes Redmond-based software firm, Microsoft Corp. Co-Founder; Bill Gates who has been listed with USD$89.2 billion, as the richest person in the world, as we can see in this chart from Statista, which is based on data from the Bloomberg Billionaires index.

That list has been dominated by mostly Americans. Facebook Co-Founder and CEO; Mark Zuckerberg was listed 5th with a net worth of USD$75.4 billion, Founder and CEO of Google’s parent company, Alphabet Inc. Larry Page was listed 9th with USD$52.8 billion.

See the full list from Bloomberg.

The post Jeff Bezos – Once Again The World’s Richest Man, Thanks to the Thanksgiving Weekend appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

You’ll need to put as much consideration into starting an e-commerce business as you would put into launching any other kind of enterprise. To help you decide whether online selling is right for you, here are four things you should consider before taking the plunge.

It Won’t Make You Money Fast
Opening an online store is just like starting any other business. It’s not a “get rich quick” scheme, and it won’t make you money overnight. An e-commerce business takes months (sometimes years) to research, build and launch, and it’s not something you can attempt without an existing, sustainable income. To be successful, you need to make decisions based on the long-term security of your business, not your short-term finances. In other words: don’t try to start a business when you’re already in a financial predicament.

You May Need Training
If you don’t consider yourself “web savvy,” it’s going to be difficult for you to start a business online. Although there are several resources available for first-time e-commerce sellers (such as Shopify, Magento, and BigCommerce), these platforms still require you to have some degree of Internet literacy; so don’t jump straight into starting a business without prior training. Before you can turn your website into a selling machine, you should take a course in e-commerce and educate yourself to the nuances of the online marketplace.

Online Security Is Important
If you want customers to buy products from your site, you need to invest in reliable security measures that will keep their data safe. Add a secure payment gateway to your website which acts as a go-between for you, your customers, and their bank issuer to ensure transactions are legitimate and that information stays encrypted. Now that credit card fraud and identity theft are so rife, you cannot afford to shortchange your buyers on security.

There’s No Guarantee of Success
As any entrepreneur will tell you, there is never a guarantee that a new business will succeed. So, if you’re not in a position to take a gamble, it might be worth considering whether this is the right time for you to be starting a business. If you’re determined to start selling, you may need to adjust your expectations for the first few years of business, but don’t give up. As long as you’re up to speed with the necessary technology and you have a financial backup (e.g., an existing job or savings account) then don’t throw in the towel just yet.

Although starting a business is challenging, and there is no guarantee you’ll reap the rewards of your hard work, with the right amount of planning, research, financial stability, and managed expectations, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t see the fruit of your labors.

The post 4 Things to Consider Before Opening an Online Store appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

In case you didn’t know, Black Friday is an online (or physical in some countries – done within supermarkets as well) and biggest sale promo of the year, globally. Its the one time where products or services have unbelievable discounts – talking about exclusive deals and discounts that can go up to 70/80% across all product categories ranging from electronics, appliances, fashion, home and so forth.

Notably, since it happens in November every year, it has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season. As the first day after the last major holiday before Christmas, it marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

Some of Africa’s largest eCommerce firms; Jumia, and Kilimall that have adapted and gained a lot from the campaign. Jumia started rolling out its Black Friday campaign dubbed the Jumia Black Friday Festival in countries like Nigeria, and Kenya – where it has been set to run for a full month. In Uganda, the campaign was launched early this week and is set to run for only 14 days .i.e. from November 24th to December 8th, 2017 – while Kilimall Uganda has its black Friday scheduled to run effective today till the end of this month.

Notably, Jumia Uganda will also be running other flash sales, contests, voucher and prize giveaways to make the campaign more fun and enjoy for its shoppers. Cythina Tumwiine; PR at Jumia Travel, said not only will the shoppers enjoy discounts and special deals but will also stand a chance to win the prize of a lifetime – a 2 flight tickets to Dubai.

The firm has partnered with the likes of MTN, Samsung, Tecno, Huawei, Infinix, Fero, Bata, Pampers, and Kwese TV – to make the campaign a success – and also to surpass the previous campaigns in terms of sales.

So, a tip on what you ought to buy considering the advantageous discounts (This has been based on an opinion thought).

Gadgets, Accessories, and Electronics
This category is one of them that you people have consider to visit most often. And with Black Friday here, they are ready to take on the advantage.

So you can look at getting a new smartphone that fits you, and also consider adding on some accessories such as a power bank, a smartwatch, booming headsets/headphones, smart bracelets, and so forth. For electronics, think of a TV set – and I suggest a Flat scree because its the way forward in this era, a home theater that can bring a good entertainment experience in your house, while for photography enthusiast and gamers can look at buying a new camera or its accessories, and gaming consoles or games respectively.

Fashion
This would be good especially for the women, however, men can still take advantage of this considering how men’s clothing is expensive whether online or offline. Men can consider buying new Khakis since its the trending thing, or buy a new belt, a matching shirt to your Khakis, and shoes. While the women will look so much at buying her favorite shoe, whether high heel or short heel depending on her preference. You can also accessorize with a bag or watches, and also jewelries.

Home and Living
Finally, home and living… This might to seem much, but comes in handy when you are renovating your house, a new house, or just an additional product to your house. For examples buying new bedding’s, or bathroom accessories, or lighting accessories to bring in more light in the house. Home decor items will say a lot about your personality, so also try considering this option – get good art, decorations or vintage work/products.[related-posts]

The post Black Friday: 10 to 14 Days of Mind Blowing Deals – tip to what you could shop appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

As usual the eCommerce firm will give out exclusive discounts of up to 70% across all product categories ranging from electronics to appliances to fashion to home supplies to kids products and more, starting November 24th to December 8th and will be done via their online shop which is their Jumia website and also via the free Jumia mobile app.

Recap, Black Friday originated from the U.S. when retailers noticed a spike in sales on the day after Thanksgiving. Retailers decided to capitalize on this trend by offering discounts and special deals – and now, “Black Friday” has grown into a global movement that Jumia has made sure Ugandans do not miss out on.

Jumia Uganda’s Country Manager, Ham Namakajjo, advises shoppers to research their desired products in advance as they await the discounts; and also take advantage of the double shillings voucher promotion.

“We are giving our customers the opportunity to save even more during Jumia Black Friday. If they purchase a 20, 30, or 50k voucher on our website before November 23rd, we will give them double the money to spend during Black Friday,” Namakajjo announced at the Jumia Black Friday press meeting.

“With the support of our Black Friday partners: MTN, Samsung, Tecno, Infinix, Fero, Bata, Pampers and Kwese TV – we have planned a shopping event that will save our customers a lot of money as we approach the festive season,” Namakajjo concluded.

During the campaign, Jumia Uganda will also be running other flash sales, contests, voucher and prize giveaways to make the campaign more fun and enjoy for its shoppers.

Cythina Tumwiine; PR at Jumia Travel, said not only will the shoppers enjoy discounts and special deals but will also stand a chance to win the prize of a lifetime – a 2 flight tickets to Dubai.

For convenience, orders are placed online through the Jumia website or app, delivered directly to the customer’s preferred location, with the option to pay cash or card on delivery in Kampala, and MTN Mobile Money across the country.

Jumia will continue to post updates on its social media platforms to keep fans informed about all things to do with #JumiaBlackFriday.[related-posts]

The post Jumia Uganda’s Black Friday Discount Deals Returns For 14 days appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

Black Friday has been regarded as the beginning of the Christmas shopping season and its also a shopping day for a combination of reasons. As the first day after the last major holiday before Christmas, it marks the unofficial beginning of the Christmas shopping season.

During this season, online shopping or eCommerce firms partner with some of biggest or well known brands to make it a success. Normally you find them partnering with smartphone dealers, fashionistas, tech firms, to mention a few – which draws more attention from the customers

Thus, with this global promo, this is where you ought to find what you always desired that you couldn’t afford. Say, you wanted to have Apple’s tenth anniversary phablet; the iPhone 8 or 8+ or even the iPhone X, or you also probably wanted hands on the Samsung Galaxy S8 or Note 8 – this is probably for the tech or smartphone enthusiast, same thing goes to fashion, accessories, art, photography, house holdings and so on. This would be the best time.

The post Black Friday Returns – Take Advantage of the Exclusive Deals and Discounts appeared first on PC Tech Magazine.

Already launched in Kenya and Nigeria, the launch on Kilimall Uganda promised to excite Infinix fans with Kilimall Uganda being the only online store to sale smartphones. On November 21st the two clients; Kilimall Uganda and Infinix Mobility partnered to launch the Infinix Note 3 and Infinix Hot 4 in the Ugandan market.

On Saturday, Infinix Uganda together with Kilimall Uganda, hosted a meet-and-greet party with customers who have recently won, purchased and used their Infinix Hot 4 and Infinix Note3 phones, dubbed under the #Hashtag #UgInfinixHangout at Sky Lounge. 

Generally, the hangout gathered these customers who have used the Infinix smartphones to give their opinon of what they liked about the phones and what can be done to prove them. During the discussion session, most of the users said they liked the RAM and Camera more.

As the discussions further went on, the organizers also held games where winners walked away with smart watches. Among some of the questions, Users were asked to each give the full specs for the type of Infinix smartphone they had. They were also asked to compare the Infinix smartphones to other smartphones they had such as; the itel1516 Plus, Samsung J8, to name a few.[related-posts]

Full Specs of the Infinix Hot 4 and Infinix Note 3

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