Economic Inspection calls for greater vigilance against fraud during Black Friday | local

A total of 6,913 reports have been received about fraudulent websites this year (as of November 13). The most common complaints relate to fraudulent practices and undelivered or unwanted products or services. Last year there were 8,586 reports, in 2021 there were 9,722 reports, and in the Corona year 2020 there were 11,628 reports.

Over the past five years, the number of website inspections by the Economic Inspectorate has increased, from 4,742 in 2019 to 10,389 last year. This year, 7,184 tests have been performed as of November 13. The Inspectorate carries out preventive checks, but also intervenes when it receives reports via the reporting point.

This year, the Economic Inspectorate has already identified 9,942 violations in online stores. For comparison: in 2022 there were 13,503 violations, in 2021 10,691, in 2020 2,282, and in 2019 3,381.

Following Black Friday, which will take place on November 24 this year, FPS Economy warns that big business promotions are not always without risks. For example, high discounts are common on Black Friday, sometimes reaching more than 80 percent. FPS recommends asking yourself if a deal is too good to be true. Also keep in mind that the discount ad must be realistic and not misleading.

It’s also important to check whether the seller is reliable, whether you can cancel a purchase if you make a mistake, and whether the purchase is covered by a warranty.