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Freedom251 › Blog › Black Friday

Black Friday Shopping Scams: How to Spot Fake Deals and Shop Safely

By Freedom251 Team · · 4 min read

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Before buying a Black Friday deal, verify the seller independently, read the shipping and refund terms, and avoid sellers who insist on hard-to-reverse payments. A familiar logo, polished website, or huge discount does not prove an offer is genuine. This guide focuses on U.S. consumer protections and reporting, with a separate UK reporting note.

How Black Friday shopping scams work

Scammers may impersonate real companies in social-media ads, emails, texts, and fake online stores. A link can lead to a site selling counterfeit goods, sending something unlike the advertised product, or delivering nothing at all. Brand logos, product photos, and professional-looking pages are easy to copy; none establishes that the seller is legitimate. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) describes these tactics in its holiday online-shopping advice and online shopping guidance.

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Impersonation is not limited to holiday shopping. The FTC reported that consumers lost $2.95 billion to business and government impersonation scams in 2024. That figure, published in April 2025, covers impersonation scams broadly—not Black Friday losses or holiday shopping alone. FTC: 2024 impersonation scam losses.

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How to check whether a deal or store is real

  1. Find the retailer independently. Rather than opening an unexpected deal link, type the retailer’s known web address yourself or use its official app. Check whether the offer appears there. This is especially important when a message claims there is an account or payment problem, or offers a coupon.
  2. Search the exact seller and web address. Look for the seller’s name and the URL shown in the ad alongside words such as “review,” “complaint,” or “scam.” Check that the site’s contact and seller details are consistent. The FTC recommends researching sellers before buying.
  3. Evaluate the price in context. Compare the offer with ordinary prices from established sellers. An implausibly low price is a warning sign, not proof by itself; consider it alongside the seller’s identity, reputation, and terms.
  4. Read the policies before checkout. Look for shipping estimates, refund and return rules, return-shipping costs, and any restocking fee. Save the terms and order details in case the purchase goes wrong.
  5. Choose a payment method with recourse. Prefer a credit card when possible; applicable charges may be disputable with the card issuer. Do not proceed if an online seller insists on payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency. The FTC says, “And if the seller says you can only pay with a gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency, it’s probably a scam.” See the FTC’s holiday shopping tips.
  6. Keep records. Retain the receipt, confirmation email, order number, seller details, and relevant messages. The FTC says sellers must ship by the promised time or give the buyer a chance to get a refund; its holiday advice explains what to do if an order does not arrive.

A secure connection does not prove a store is honest or a product is authentic. Focus on independent seller checks, clear terms, and payment recourse rather than treating a browser indicator as a trust guarantee.

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Recognize suspicious messages and pop-ups

Unexpected deal texts and emails

A message that appears to come from a familiar company may be phishing. It could claim that a payment failed, an account needs attention, or a special coupon is waiting. Links may lead to a credential-stealing page or malware, and attachments can also be risky. Don’t use the message’s link to sign in or pay; go to the company through its known website or app. Keep your device and security software updated. The FTC’s phishing guidance covers suspicious links, attachments, and reporting.

Alarming security pop-ups

A pop-up that tells you to call a support number is not a reliable way to reach technical support. The FTC says genuine security warnings will not ask you to call a phone number. Do not call a number displayed in an alarming pop-up; if you are concerned about your device, update its security software, run a scan, and contact the company through a number or support route you find independently. See the FTC’s tech-support scam advice.

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What to do if you paid or shared information

  1. Contact the seller. Use contact details you find independently, not just those in a suspicious message. Explain the problem and keep a record of the exchange.
  2. Contact your payment provider promptly. Ask whether the charge can be disputed or reversed. The available remedy depends on the payment method and circumstances; provide the receipt, order details, and messages.
  3. Report suspected fraud through the right channel. In the United States, USAGov’s online purchase scam guidance points consumers to the FTC, state consumer-protection offices, and state attorneys general. For a seller outside the United States, USAGov also points to Econsumer.gov.
  4. If you shared a password, change it. Change the exposed password and any reused passwords, using a unique password for each account. A password manager can help maintain unique credentials. If you think a computer may be affected, update security software and run a scan, as the FTC advises in its tech-support scam guidance.

For readers in the United Kingdom

Reporting routes and consumer remedies vary by country, so U.S. guidance does not replace UK advice. The UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recommends reporting suspicious emails, texts, and fake shop websites through its reporting services. It cites City of London Police data showing £11.8 million lost to online shopping fraud from 1 November 2024 to 31 January 2025. That is a UK seasonal figure, not a worldwide or Black Friday-only estimate. See the NCSC Annual Review 2026 for the seasonal figure and reporting information.

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Protect the accounts you use to shop

Use strong, unique passwords for retailer accounts and keep your devices and software current. Where an account supports multi-factor authentication, enable it; a physical USB security key is one option listed by the FBI. It can help protect account access, but it cannot determine whether a store or discount is fraudulent. FBI identity-theft guidance.

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