Black Friday and Cyber Monday scams: how to shop safely in 2026
Key Takeaways
- The FTC says more than 40% of people who lost money to a scam on social media said it started when they ordered something they saw in an ad. That is based on 2025 reports.
- Scammers are using AI tools to build fake stores faster. Security researchers at Netcraft reported early signs of AI-generated text, images, and entire fraudulent websites in November 2025.
- A deal that is far below the usual price from a store you don't know is the most common warning sign.
- Paying by credit card gives you a way to dispute the charge. A seller who insists on a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency is probably a scammer, according to the FTC.
- If you clicked or paid, act the same day. Contact the card issuer, change the passwords you used, and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Scams to watch for in 2026
Fake stores built with AI
A fake store doesn't need a designer anymore. Netcraft reported in November 2024 that criminals were using large language models to write product descriptions for fake shopping sites, and that detections of fake store domains rose 110% from August to October 2024. In November 2025, Netcraft said it saw early signs of AI-generated text, imagery, and entire fraudulent websites, and also noted that scammers reuse real product photos and banners from brand websites.
The practical effect is that a fake store can look polished and have clean grammar. Looks are no longer a reliable check. The seller, the web address, and the way the store asks you to pay are.
Fake deal ads on social media
The FTC warns that scammers impersonate real companies and "run ads for brand-name products at unusually low prices." Clicking can lead to a counterfeit item, something unlike the pictured product, or nothing at all. Axios reported in November 2025 that scammers also use AI tools to imitate the voices and faces of well-known people in social media ads for bogus discounts.
The FTC's 2026 data spotlight shows how common this is: nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam in 2025 said it started on social media, with reported losses of $2.1 billion. Shopping scams were the most reported type, and more than 40% of those people said it began with an ad.
Delivery and "package problem" texts
Expect a wave of texts about missed deliveries and small fees. USPS says it sends tracking texts and emails only after a customer requests tracking, and those messages don't contain links. FedEx says it never requests payment or personal information in exchange for releasing a package, apart from duties and taxes on international shipments. Read our guide to package delivery text scams for how to check each carrier. A box that arrives when you ordered nothing is a separate scam, covered in our guide to brushing scams.
Fake reviews
Reviews can be written, bought, or generated. The FTC advises checking more than one source and watching for a burst of reviews in a short period. Report a suspected fake review to the platform and to https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.
Bait and switch and misleading prices
Some sellers advertise a deal, then swap in a cheaper or inferior item, or inflate the "original" price so a discount looks bigger. Check what the item cost before the sale. A price-history tool or a saved wish list shows changes over time.
Phishing emails and fake payment alerts
Fake emails claim a payment failed or a package couldn't be delivered, then link to a spoofed page asking for billing details. Type the retailer's address yourself instead of clicking the link. Our guide to detecting fake shopping sites shows what to look for on the page itself.
A quick check to run before you pay for any deal
- Start from the store, not the ad. Open the retailer from a bookmark or by typing the address. If you only know the store from an ad, treat it as unknown.
- Search the seller. The FTC suggests searching the seller's name and website with words like "review," "complaint," or "scam," and reading what other buyers report.
- Compare the price. A brand-name item far below every other store is the warning, not the bargain.
- Check how the store wants to be paid. Credit card gives you a dispute process. A request for a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency is a stop sign.
- Save the receipt and the order number. They help with refunds and disputes.
How to stay safe this holiday season
- Buy gift cards only from trusted sources. Buy them from the retailer's own store or website. The FTC says a seller who insists on a gift card is probably a scammer, so never use one to pay a seller. See our guide to safe payment methods online.
- Read reviews, but stay skeptical. Look for patterns across several sites, not a page of five-star reviews on the store's own website.
- Protect the payment information. Use a credit card, check statements often, and tell the card issuer right away about a charge you don't recognize. Dispute windows are limited, so don't wait.
- Be wary of extensions. Install browser extensions only from the official store, and remove any you don't use.
- Beware of unwanted notifications. Deny site notification requests from stores you don't know.
- Use caution with emails and text messages. Don't tap links in unexpected messages. Open the retailer or carrier site yourself.
- Skip public Wi-Fi for checkout. Shop from a network you trust.
- Use security tools. See the next section.
How Guardio helps during the holiday rush
Guardio helps flag fake shopping sites, phishing pages, and harmful browser extensions as you browse, with the browser extension for Chrome and Edge and the Guardio apps for iOS and Android. According to Guardio's own data, Guardio blocked more than 964 million malicious sites in 2025. No tool catches everything, so the quick check above still applies.
Guardio scans the dark web for your email address and phone number, and alerts you the moment they turn up in a data leak, so you can change your passwords before that exposure is used against you.
What to do if you already clicked or paid
- Contact the card issuer or bank right away and ask about disputing the charge.
- Change the password for any account you used on that site, and anywhere you reused it.
- Watch statements for the next few weeks.
- Save screenshots, receipts, and the seller's details.
- Report it at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/.
Black Friday scam statistics
- In 2024, the FTC received 383,441 online shopping fraud reports, with $432 million in reported losses.
- The FTC says about $16 billion was reported lost to fraud in 2025, the highest on record and about 25% above 2024.
- In 2025, nearly 30% of people who reported losing money to a scam said it started on social media, with reported losses of $2.1 billion.
- In the second quarter of 2025, APWG observed 1,130,393 phishing attacks.
The bottom line
A good deal and a scam can look the same for a few seconds. Start from the store, check the seller, and pay the way that gives you a dispute process. Test how well you spot scams with the free scam quiz.
Take the free scam quiz and get a free security scan
Sources
- Adobe, "Adobe U.S. Holiday Shopping Season to Hit Record $275.1 Billion Online, Rising 6.7% YoY," 28 September 2026
- FTC, "Reported losses to scams on social media eight times higher than in 2020," Data Spotlight, April 2026
- FTC, "FTC Data Show People Reported Losing $3.5 Billion to Imposter Scams in 2025," 15 June 2026
- FTC, "How to avoid an online shopping scam this holiday season," 25 November 2025
- FTC, "FTC warns businesses about fake reviews," December 2025
- FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book 2024, March 2025
- Netcraft, "Inside the 2025 fake shop shift," 24 November 2025
- Netcraft, "Black Friday gets a fakeover: fake stores spike 110% by using LLMs," 26 November 2024
- Axios, "Top scams targeting shoppers this holiday season," 22 November 2025
- USPIS, "Smishing Package Tracking Text Scams"
- FedEx, "Fraud awareness"
- APWG, "Phishing Activity Trends Report, 2nd Quarter 2025"
FAQs
How do I know if a Black Friday deal is a scam?
Start from the store's own website instead of the ad, search the seller's name with "review" or "scam," compare the price to other stores, and check the payment method. A request for a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency is a red flag.
Are Black Friday text messages real?
Treat any unexpected text with a link as suspect, especially about a delivery or a fee. USPS says its tracking texts are sent only after you request tracking and don't contain links. Check the retailer or carrier site directly.
What is the safest way to pay online on Black Friday?
A credit card, because it comes with a dispute process. The FTC says to treat a seller who insists on a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency as a warning sign.
What should I do if I already clicked or entered details?
Contact the card issuer, change the passwords you used, watch statements, and report it at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
Can an AI-built fake store look real?
Yes. Netcraft reported early signs of AI-generated text, images, and whole fraudulent websites in November 2025. A polished look is not proof, so check the seller and the payment method.
When is Cyber Monday in 2026?
Cyber Monday is 30 November 2026, and Black Friday is 27 November 2026.
