In short
Fake shops, copycat ads and too-good deals peak around Black Friday. How the scams work, the warning signs, and how to pay so you can get your money back.
Top warning signs: The discount is far bigger than anyone else's; The web address is not the brand's own; You found it through an ad or a message.
First thing to do: Paste the shop's address or the ad's link into the TapSafely checker. It shows who really owns the site and how new it is.
How the scam works
Around Black Friday people expect big discounts, so a price that would look odd in June looks normal in November. Scammers use that. They build shops that copy a real brand's photos and logo, and promote them with social media and search ads that sit next to the real retailers' ads.
Some fake shops take your money and send nothing. Others send a cheap copy, or something completely different, and ignore every complaint. Many exist only to collect card details, which are then used or sold. The sites usually vanish within weeks and reappear under a new address.
In the UK, people reported losing £11.8 million to online shopping fraud over the last festive season (1 November 2024 to 31 January 2025), according to the National Cyber Security Centre, using City of London Police figures. In Canada, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recorded $12 million lost to online merchandise fraud in 2023.
Red flags to look for
- The discount is far bigger than anyone else's. Compare the same product on the brand's own site and at big retailers. A price far below all of them, especially on a new or popular product, is the lure.
- The web address is not the brand's own. Read the name just before the first single slash. dyson.co.uk is Dyson; dyson-outlet-deals.shop is not, however good it looks.
- You found it through an ad or a message. Ads can be bought by anyone. Go to the retailer yourself by typing its address or using its app.
- Countdown timers and "only 3 left". Pressure is meant to stop you checking. A real sale will still be there in five minutes.
- Payment only by bank transfer, gift card, payment app or crypto. The US Federal Trade Commission lists these as a sign of a scam seller. They are hard or impossible to reverse.
- No real company behind it. No registered company name, no address, no phone number, and a returns policy copied from somewhere else.
- The shop is only a few weeks old. Paste the address into our checker to see when the website was registered.
What to do if you get one
- Paste the shop's address or the ad's link into the TapSafely checker. It shows who really owns the site and how new it is.
- Search the shop's name and web address with the words "review", "complaint" or "scam", and read independent reviews, not the ones on the site.
- Go to big brands by typing their address yourself or opening their app, rather than through an ad, text or email.
- Pay with a credit card, or a service such as PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Never pay a shop by bank transfer.
- Check out as a guest where you can, and don't let an unfamiliar shop save your card.
- Keep the order confirmation and a screenshot of the ad and the product page until the item arrives.
Fake delivery texts in sale week
The week after Black Friday is when most people are waiting for parcels, so it is also the peak for fake delivery texts asking for a small fee or a new delivery slot. If you ordered something, track it through the retailer's own app or order email, never through a link in a text. See fake delivery texts.
Marketplace bargains and "sold out" gifts
When a popular console, toy or pair of trainers sells out, sellers on social media and marketplaces appear with stock. Many ask for payment by bank transfer or "friends and family" payment to avoid fees. That removes your protection. See marketplace scams.
If you already paid or shared details
Act quickly. It makes a difference.
- Call your card provider or bank now, using the number on your card, and ask about a chargeback or dispute. Credit cards give the strongest protection.
- If you paid through PayPal or a similar service, open a dispute there straight away. Time limits apply.
- If you created an account with a password you use elsewhere, change that password everywhere and turn on two-step verification.
- Report the ad to the platform where you saw it, and report the shop to the official fraud service in your country.
- Watch for follow-up messages offering to "recover" your money for a fee. That is a second scam.
More help: what to do after a scam, and where to report it in your country.
How to protect yourself next time
Keep security software with web protection on your devices
It blocks many known scam and malware websites and warns about dangerous apps. That matters most if you installed an app or "support" tool someone asked you to.
Free: Keep your phone and browser updated, and leave Google Play Protect or Microsoft Defender switched on. Both are free.
- Bitdefender Partner link Security suite for phone and computer with web and scam protection.
Watch for anyone using your identity
If you shared ID documents, card details or a Social Security number, monitoring can alert you when someone opens credit or accounts in your name.
Free: In the US, a credit freeze at Equifax, Experian and TransUnion is free and blocks most new-credit fraud. Elsewhere, ask your bank and your credit reference agency about fraud alerts.
- Aura Partner link US identity theft protection with credit monitoring and fraud insurance.
Compare the tools that help, and what each costs
Links marked Partner link may earn us a commission, at no cost to you. It never changes our advice, and the free option always comes first. Affiliate disclosure.
Questions people ask
Are Black Friday deals on social media ads real?
Some are, but anyone can buy an ad and copy a brand's pictures. Instead of tapping the ad, go to the retailer's own website or app and look for the same deal there.
Is a website safe because it has a padlock?
No. The padlock only means the connection is encrypted. Scam shops have padlocks too, because certificates are free.
Which payment method is safest for online shopping?
A credit card, or a payment service with buyer protection, because you can dispute the payment if nothing arrives. Avoid bank transfers, gift cards and crypto with shops you don't know.
I got a cheap copy instead of the real thing. What can I do?
Contact your card provider or payment service and ask for a chargeback or dispute, with photos of what arrived and screenshots of the original listing.
Have you had this one?
Tell other people what the message said and how it reached you. It helps someone recognise it before they tap.
No stories yet. Yours could be the one that warns someone.
Official sources and further reading
We check our guides against advice from government agencies and consumer protection bodies.
- Bargain hunters urged to stay alert to cyber scams ahead of holiday shopping season (UK National Cyber Security Centre)
- How to avoid an online shopping scam this holiday season (US Federal Trade Commission)
- Shoppers, beware of cyber scams this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, federal partners warn (Canadian Centre for Cyber Security)
