As consumers gear up for discounts and deals this Black Friday, leading low-cost airline FlySafair has warned customers to be aware of potential scams and verify sales information before any purchase.
“We want to remind our customers to shop smart and stay vigilant this Black Friday. While we continue to offer travellers affordable fares, and provide more opportunities for flying through incredible sales, scammers take advantage of consumers during this period by posing as our brand in a believable fashion,” says Kirby Gordon, Chief Marketing Officer at FlySafair.
Last year, South Africans spent R1.39 billion in online transactions on Black Friday, a17 % increase from the previous year. Cybercriminals prey on hasty shoppers who want to quickly snap up a bargain, mimicking well-known brands through fake websites, social media ads and phishing attempts.
In one incident on Facebook, for example, a fraudulent scheme imitated FlySafair, offering deals including six months’ worth of free flights for only a few rands. The social media profile, named ‘FlySafair: South Africa’s Favourite Low-Cost Airline’ went as far as to edit the airline’s images, showing FlySafair staff holding placards with the deal. The caption urges shoppers to click a button to redirect them to the ‘official site’.
On closer inspection, evidence of poor editing of the photos, along with the use of the “City of Derry” airport give away the legitimacy of the deal. In addition, encouraging consumers to click a link to another site is a well-used phishing tactic, which doesn’t even always require the user to share any details, giving malicious groups access to personal information and accounts.
“Protecting our customers from scams is a top priority for FlySafair. To ensure you are not being conned, first check the name of the source that posted the advert. All the FlySafair social media accounts are verified, which means our profiles have a little blue tick next to their name. If this verification is missing, and you pick up any other inconsistencies and requests for sensitive information, please report the activity directly to the social media platform on which it is featured or notify us immediately,” adds Gordon.
To report a suspicious Facebook page or profile, click on the three dots icon under the cover picture. From there, select “Find Support or Report Page/Profile” and follow the on-screen prompts. To report a post, the same icon is found on the top right of the post, with the option to “Report post”. On Instagram, click the three dots above the post and select “Report”.
“While we constantly monitor, report and remove fraudulent posts and profiles, alert consumers can help in notifying the social media platform, too, so that the scam is deleted quicker. We thank all our customers who have previously brought any suspicious ads to our attention and helped in curbing cybercrime. This Black Friday, look out for any scams as much as a good deal and remember to only use official sales channels for a happy shopping experience,” concludes Gordon.
If you want to find out more about legitimate FlySafair specials this festive season you can find their Facebook, Instagram, and X profiles here or visit their site at flysafair.co.za.