Top 6 Black Friday Scams

Black Friday is famous for great deals on products like TVs, furniture, video games, and more. However, scammers also use this day to ramp up their fraudulent activities. And with technologies like AI, deepfakes, and social engineering getting more sophisticated, anyone could be targeted and fall victim to scams. To help you navigate the busy holiday shopping season and stay clear of fraudsters, here are 10 of the most common Black Friday scams.

1. Fake Websites

Scammers set up website “clones” with similar layouts, product images, and logos of popular online retailers. These sites can have very enticing deals or discounts on products you may be looking for. But if you make a purchase at this store, you’ll be sent to a fake checkout page where any information you submit can be used for fraud or identity theft.

To spot fake websites, look for misspelled URLs, like Ama2on.com or Wal.Mart.com. These can fool anyone at first glance, so be vigilant in your online shopping.

2. Phishing and Smishing

When shopping online, you may receive numerous emails and text messages regarding your orders. Scammers are aware of this, especially during Black Friday. So, they may send you emails or texts impersonating common retailers or carriers, urging you to verify your account to finish an order or confirm delivery.

These can be hard to spot at times and are much more common, so when you get these, make sure the sender information matches up with the official brands. And if in doubt, don’t interact at all and contact the seller directly.

3. Fake Ads

Scammers will set up ads on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok or through text and SMS, imitating popular brands offering big discounts, coupons, or gift cards. The scammers want you to click on the ad, which directs to a fake online store, and try to get you to submit sensitive information.

These ads often have deals that are too good to be true, like 70-90% off a product, so that’s a good red flag to spot and avoid Black Friday scams.

4. Deepfakes

Artificial intelligence is getting better and better, and scammers are using this advanced software to fool you into giving up personal information. Deepfake technology has enabled this. Scammers can impersonate people you know, celebrities, or CEOs. Deepfake tech allows scammers to either impersonate someone’s voice or even superimpose someone’s face on themselves to convince you to move forward with a purchase.

5. Counterfeit Products

Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Etsy, and other peer-to-peer selling sites can be used by fraudsters to get people to “buy” high-demand goods and instead steal their information. A buyer might come across a listing for a luxury or rare product and be tempted to buy, not knowing it was a setup.

The item you purchase can end up never arriving or being a cheap knockoff. If you’re using these marketplaces, verify the seller’s history, see if you can communicate directly, and use protected payment platforms.

6. QR Codes

Also called “Quishing,” Scammers put up QR codes in public spaces, emails, or social media posts offering great deals. But scanning these with your phone can take you to websites that install malware and steal important information.

Be wary of any unsolicited emails or physical stickers and verify their source.

How to Protect Yourself

Before you interact with anything, make sure to double-check URLs, phone numbers, and emails. Also, do your due diligence and research offers that look too good to be true.

Online reviews can be helpful as you can see if other people have been targets of Black Friday scams. Staying alert to red flags and other indicators can help you ensure your holiday shopping goes without any problems. If you spot fraud, you can report it to the FTC.

For more on fraud prevention, check out our resources page here for information on the types of scams you may encounter year-round. Plus, get tips on how to recognize signs of fraud and ways to keep your finances safe.