As the 2026 Black Friday approaches, customers will be flooded with seemingly attractive offers and deals. However, not every Black Friday deal is worth it. Fraudsters will be looking to take advantage of customers’ excitement and rush to scam shoppers. This article discusses the top Black Friday scams and how to avoid them. It will help you identify holiday shopping scams and take precautionary measures to prevent financial loss. Key Insights: According to the PissedConsumer Survey, 31.4% of respondents reported having been scammed at least once during holiday shopping. An FTC analysis indicates that more than 40% of people who reported losing money to a social-media scam in 2025 said it started when they ordered something seen in an ad. Common Black Friday scams involve fraudulent promotions, such as fake emails from major retailers offering gift cards or prizes. What Are the Most Common Black Friday Scams? The most common Black Friday scams involve fake emails, messages, and social media ads offering false deals or delivery updates. Some retailers also inflate prices or sell poor-quality and undelivered products, while gift card scams trick shoppers into sharing card details with the fraudsters. Phishing emails with coupons and vouchers Email scams are one of the most popular ways fraudsters steal your money or personal information, so it’s crucial to be aware of potential traps. You might receive an email saying that you have won something for free, yet you have not recently participated in a raffle or prize giving. Or, if you have received an email that claims to include heavily discounted coupons, always be cautious. Even better, it is strongly advised not to open it at all. After all, they often end up in your spam folder for a reason. Fake delivery notifications This common Black Friday scam tricks consumers into thinking a package can’t be delivered. Scammers may pose as UPS, FedEx, or USPS, asking you to verify a tracking number or click a link to rearrange delivery. If you're not expecting a package, this is a clear red flag. You also should know that shipping companies do not email customers for undeliverable packages. The following is an example of how a customer unsuspectingly fell for a fake delivery scam after they changed their address, and a package went missing. Source: cyberguy.com Scammers often send fake emails from major delivery services, asking for personal information or installing malware. To stay safe, avoid clicking links and go directly to the retailer’s or shipping company’s website. USPS has warned customers about these deceptive emails and texts, advising them to “Don’t click the link!” Read our delivery text scam guide on how to identify a delivery scam message and to protect yourself. Fake messages There has been an increase in spam messages sent to cell phones. All these mysterious SMS require you to click a link for more information, verify details, or claim a refund. Naturally, they all gather your information, download malware of some kind, or scam you out of money somehow. This scam is used to collect personal information. A user who follows the link is asked to fill in the fields with personal data in order to confirm their identity and get their refund. Report a Scam Facebook farming on Black Friday One of the most common Black Friday social media scams is Facebook like-farming. In this type of fraud, scammers post fake giveaways or promotions to trick users into sharing personal information. These posts typically urge social media users to take quick action, such as sharing, commenting, or completing a survey, to claim a “special offer” or “exclusive pass.” For example, in a Facebook post, McCormick Spice warned its customers about websites and social media accounts falsely claiming to run promotional giveaways on the company's behalf. Source: facebook.com Misleading discounts, product quality, and missing orders Some retailers are notorious for this scamming technique. Whereby, they inflate the original price, then mark it “on sale” to create the illusion of a big discount. According to a PissedConsumer survey, this deceptive practice is the reason why 21.5% of people said they might not shop this holiday season. They believe retailers manipulate prices around the holidays. For example, one customer expressed frustration with Rebel's bait-and-switch pricing. …I had been looking at the Eureka vacuum, and then I received an email with special pricing. I clicked on the link and then tried to pay, but the price increased. I reached out to customer service, and they said it increased since it's not an imperfect item. That's exactly what's in my cart, the imperfect item… To avoid falling for this scam, ensure to compare the exact model’s pre-sale price with the sale price. Low-quality or nonexistent products Another scammy tactic by retailers is offering low-quality or cheaply made products and positioning them as a bargain. For example, in Keurig review #6536952, the customer complained that a coffee machine they bought on a Black Friday sale stopped working within 4 months. Got a Keurig coffee machine on a Black Friday sale and should have just left it be. It no longer turns on and I have tried all the steps to get it to reset and turn back on… Items that never arrive Another frustrating issue shoppers face during Black Friday is orders that never arrive. This can happen if you shop from a fake online store. Read our guide on how to spot a fake online store. However, sometimes delays happen due to overwhelming order volumes that result in inventory errors, payment glitches, or shipping delays. If that is the case, it is best to call the company to follow up on the order. However, consumer reviews indicate numerous cases where customers still do not get their order delivered, nor do they get a refund. For example, in review #6386769, the customer bought a Valabasas sweater, but they never received it. I've made chats and contacted you guys and everybody keeps saying it's because of the Black Friday sales and it will be here soon. It's been almost two months and I still haven't got it. Gift card scams Gift card scams are increasingly popular as they are essentially an easy way for scammers to steal money. Typically, scammers convince you to urgently purchase gift cards and then send them the activated codes. So, when you go to use it, you find that it has already been used or there is a lower balance than what was initially there. Such an incident was reported by one Vanilla gift customer in review #7497021: I bought a Vanilla Gift Card for 500 dollars in June 2026 from Walmart in Great Falls, Montana.I called to activate the card and the representative told me that the card was needed to be replaced cause some one tried to use it with out activating it… Check out our gift cards scam guide for more information on how to spot and avoid them. Refund scams Scammers may send emails claiming you're eligible for a refund, often posing as popular online stores or hotels. Scammers may refer to specific order details in the email. These details do not prove that the email is authentic. You should verify refunds inside your actual retailer or payment account, not through a message link. For example, a fake PayPal email might show a suspicious transaction and offer a refund link. Clicking it takes you to a fake website that collects your personal and payment details. Fake shopping websites Some scammers go above and beyond to steal money and personal information. Many fake sites impersonate trustworthy retailers and well-known brands, hoping shoppers won’t notice small details. A site may look identical to a big-name store but will use a slightly altered web address or ask for direct wire payments. Once the transaction is made, the site disappears, and so does your money. How to Avoid Black Friday Scams With so many deals flooding your emails, messages, and social media feeds, it is easy to fall victim to fraud. Below are 5 Black Friday shopping safety tips. Avoid clicking on suspicious links Scammers often send fake links that mimic real retailer websites. To avoid falling for their gimmicks, visit the retailer’s or manufacturer’s websites and social media pages directly to check for any deals or offers. Buy from trusted vendors only While shopping on Black Friday, buy only from retailers you know and trust. Or shop in person so that you can examine the quality of the items before buying. Move cautiously Don’t get caught up in the excitement when you come across a 'too good to be true' Black Friday ad and make mistakes that would have been easy to avoid if you were looking carefully before buying. Scammers count on you rushing to act. Read reviews and check consumer reports There are customer reviews online that can be tremendously helpful in avoiding Black Friday scams. Entities like the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also track scams and help warn customers about shady business practices. If it seems too good to be true, do a bit of research before entering personal or financial information. Report a scam If you unfortunately fall victim to a Black Friday scam, report it immediately to the FTC or report the issue to your state consumer protection office. For online scams, contact the platform directly (such as Facebook, Instagram, or Google) to flag fake ads or listings. You may also write an online review describing the incident on reputable platforms such as PissedConsumer.com Are Black Friday Deals a Scam? There are many legitimate Black Friday deals, and most shoppers do save money. However, scammers take advantage of the hype to blend in their fake offers among genuine ones. Over the years, scammers have become more sophisticated in their tactics. This calls for heightened vigilance from customers to identify and avoid Black Friday fraud. If you are keen to shop on Black Friday online, stay informed about the most common scams and observe shopping safety tips. If you’ve had a bad experience during Black Friday shopping, share your experience on PissedConsumer.com to help others stay informed and avoid falling victim to similar tactics. Report a Scam