As Black Friday sale scams continue to rise, shoppers across Europe and the US are being urged to stay vigilant this festive season. With promotions kicking off earlier than ever, some starting as early as October 30 in Romania, cybercriminals have had an extended window to target bargain hunters, exploiting their search for deals with fraudulent schemes.
Black Friday 2025, this year, scammers have been impersonating top brands such as Amazon, MediaMarkt, TEMU, IKEA, Kaufland, Grohe, Oral-B, Binance, Louis Vuitton, Jack Daniel’s, Reese’s, and United Healthcare. Among them, Amazon remains the most frequently abused brand, appearing in phishing messages, fake coupon offers, and mobile scams promising massive discounts.
Amid these ongoing threats, many shoppers are also expressing frustration with deceptive pricing tactics seen during the Black Friday period. One Reddit user described the experience as increasingly misleading:
“I’m officially over the Black Friday hype. It used to feel like a sale, now it feels like a prank.
I was tracking a coffee machine at $129. When the ‘Black Friday early deal’ showed up, it became ‘$159 now $139 LIMITED TIME.’ I saw $129 two weeks ago. The kids’ tablet went from $79 to $89 with a Holiday Deal tag — paying extra for a yellow label.
I’ve been doing Black Friday hunting for 10+ years and it’s only gotten worse. Fake doorbusters, fake urgency, fake ‘original’ prices. Feels like they’re A/B testing how cooked our brains are as long as the button screams ‘53% OFF.’
Now I only buy when needed and let a Chrome extension track my Amazon orders. It clawed back $72 last month from so-called ‘preview pricing’ after prices dropped again.”
This sentiment reflects a growing concern: while scam campaigns imitate trusted brands, the pressure-driven marketing tactics surrounding Black Friday can also make consumers more vulnerable to fraud.
Moreover, a recent campaign even spoofed United Healthcare, offering a fake “Black Friday Smile Upgrade” with Oral-B dental kits, aiming to collect sensitive personal data.
According to data from the City of London Police, shoppers lost around £11.8 million to online shopping fraud during last year’s festive season, from 1 November 2024 to 31 January 2025. Fraudsters often pressure victims with claims that deals are limited or products are scarce, forcing hurried decisions that can result in stolen funds or sensitive information.
A Month-Long Shopping Season Means More Risk
With strong discounts across electronics, toys, apparel, and home goods, consumers are drawn to higher-ticket items. This year, electronics saw discounts up to 30.1%, toys 28%, apparel 23.2%, and furniture 19%, while televisions, appliances, and sporting goods hit record lows in price, prompting significant e-commerce growth. Adobe reported that for every 1% decrease in price, demand increased by 1.029% compared to the previous year, driving an additional $2.25 billion in online spending, a part of the overall $241.4 billion spent online.
The combination of high consumer demand and deep discounts makes the Black Friday shopping period especially attractive to cybercriminals, as the increased volume of online transactions offers more opportunities for scams.
How to Protect Yourself from Black Friday Sale Scams
Ahead of Black Friday on November 28, shoppers are being encouraged to follow advice from the Stop! Think Fraud campaign, run by the Home Office and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). Key precautions include:
- Check the shop is legitimate: Always verify reviews on trusted websites before making a purchase.
- Secure your accounts: Enable two-step verification (2SV) for important accounts to add an extra layer of security.
- Pay securely: Use credit cards or verified payment services like PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay. Avoid storing card details on websites and never pay by direct bank transfer.
- Beware of delivery scams: Avoid clicking links in unexpected messages or calls and confirm any delivery claims with the organization directly.
Individuals are also urged to report suspicious emails, texts, or fake websites to the NCSC, which collaborates with partners to investigate and remove malicious content.
For businesses and security-conscious shoppers, leveraging tools like Cyble’s Cyber Threat Intelligence Platform can help monitor brand impersonation, detect scams, and protect sensitive data in real-time during Black Friday sale scams. With the rise of cyber threats during high-demand shopping periods, proactive intelligence is key to staying safe.
Stay alert this Black Friday, your bargains are only valuable if your personal data stays safe. Learn more about how Cyble can protect you and your business here.
