{"id":223549,"date":"2025-11-11T06:57:13","date_gmt":"2025-11-11T14:57:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/?p=223549"},"modified":"2025-11-25T14:07:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T22:07:09","slug":"holiday-shopping-scams-what-to-watch-as-black-friday-cyber-monday-approach","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mcafee.com\/blogs\/internet-security\/holiday-shopping-scams-what-to-watch-as-black-friday-cyber-monday-approach\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday Shopping Scams: What to Watch as Black Friday & Cyber Monday Approach"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s an all-too-familiar trap. You\u2019re scrolling TikTok when an ad for your favorite shoe brand pops up. Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales are everywhere, and this one\u2014buy one, get one free\u2014looks completely legit.<\/p>\n

The site it links to looks real too. The logo, the product pages, even the checkout cart all match what you\u2019d expect from the brand. You place your order and move on.<\/p>\n

A few days later, you notice the charge on your bank statement. It\u2019s the right amount\u2014but the payment didn\u2019t go to the store you thought. Instead, there\u2019s a company name you don\u2019t recognize.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when it hits you: the site wasn\u2019t real at all. You\u2019ve been scammed.<\/p>\n

Peak shopping season is peak scam season, with fake deals and ads making up one major tactic used to deceive shoppers.<\/p>\n

Nearly all U.S. adults plan to shop online this season, with about half planning to do so daily or more. Scammers know that when people are rushing to buy gifts and click \u201ccheckout,\u201d they\u2019re also less likely to slow down and verify what they\u2019re seeing.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s when fraudsters strike, often using artificial intelligence<\/strong> to make their fake messages and websites look authentic.<\/p>\n

McAfee\u2019s 2025 holiday shopping research<\/strong><\/a> revealed that almost half of Americans (46%) say they\u2019ve already encountered these AI-powered scams while shopping.<\/strong><\/p>\n

How AI is Powering Holiday Scammers<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The era of \u201cobvious scams\u201d is over.<\/p>\n

Generative AI tools have made it simple to clone brand websites, copy influencer voices, and even create realistic video ads promoting fake sales. And our recent State of the Scamiverse research found<\/a> \u00a0people struggle identifying deepfakes, with 39% of people saying deepfake video scams are getting more sophisticated and harder to spot.<\/strong><\/p>\n

That\u2019s why deepfake-driven scams utilizing advanced tactics are multiplying across platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Scammers are impersonating celebrity likenesses, or well-known brands, to advertise \u201cexclusive\u201d promotions or fake giveaways. For holiday shoppers, the line between what is authentic and fraudulent continues to blur.<\/p>\n

By the Numbers<\/strong><\/h2>\n
    \n
  • 1 in 5 Americans say they\u2019ve been scammed during a past holiday season<\/li>\n
  • The average loss per victim is $840<\/li>\n
  • 57% of those surveyed are more concerned about AI scams this year than last<\/li>\n
  • 38% of those surveyed believe they can spot scams, yet 22% have fallen for one<\/li>\n
  • Detected deepfakes surged 1,740% in North America last year<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

     <\/p>\n

    What to Watch For in 2025<\/strong><\/h2>\n

    1. Fake Retail Sites and Counterfeit \u201cDeal\u201d Pages<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    These scams mimic major brand websites down to the logo, product photography, and even customer service pages. The only difference is the URL\u2014a single extra letter or misplaced period (\u201ctarget-sale.com\u201d instead of \u201ctarget.com\u201d).<\/p>\n

    When shoppers enter their payment details or passwords on these fraudulent websites, that information goes directly to criminals. According to McAfee research, this fear of scams while shopping has stopped 40% of consumers from completing a holiday purchase.<\/p>\n

    How to spot it:<\/strong> Always check the full web address, look for \u201chttps,\u201d and avoid clicking through from an ad or social post. It’s best to just type the retailer\u2019s name directly into your browser instead to reach the official site.<\/p>\n

    2. TikTok and Social Media Scams<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Even cybercriminals follow trends, and short-form videos are scam hotspots. Scammers use deepfakes or stolen influencer content to make \u201cexclusive\u201d deals look legitimate.<\/p>\n

    For example, a TikTok clip may show a celebrity promoting a discount code that redirects to a counterfeit store.<\/p>\n

    According to McAfee research, 1 in 5 people (20%) say they or someone they know has fallen victim to a deepfake scam in the past year<\/a>. And overwhelmingly, respondents said they came across deepfakes on social media.<\/p>\n

    How to spot it:<\/strong> Check if the creator\u2019s account is verified. Look at past posts and engagement patterns. Real brands rarely share one-off videos with unfamiliar links.<\/p>\n