How to Avoid Black Friday Shopping, Phishing and Delivery Scams

Summary

The article outlines fake retail sites, phishing offers, delivery-text scams and fraudulent charity appeals, with advice to verify links and organizations, use trusted payment methods and contact companies directly.

Key points

• Fake stores may imitate well-known retailers and use bogus discounts or social media ads to collect shoppers’ personal and banking information.
• Phishing emails and texts can promote fake deals, lead to credential-stealing sites or deliver malware; some claim an account is locked or disabled.
• Fake delivery notifications may use tracking links to steal personal data or install malware. Verify deliveries through carrier or retailer channels.
• Fraudulent charity sites and high-pressure donation calls may seek money or personal information; research charities and donate through their official channels.
• The article cites Darktrace analysts’ finding that Christmas-themed phishing attacks around Black Friday and Cyber Monday rise by over 600% in November.
• The FTC reported consumers lost more than $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, with shopping fraud the second most prevalent form.