How to avoid Black Friday scams & fake deals

Black Friday is often marketed as the ultimate shopping event – a time to grab unbelievable deals and savings on your wishlist items, especially for the holiday season. But sometimes, these attractive discounts and deals may not be as good as they seem.

Many companies are known to use manipulative tactics to appear like they’re offering a fantastic discount, when in actuality, they’re pretty bog-standard. Meanwhile, among the noise of Black Friday sales, there’s a real danger of consumers falling victim to more dangerous Black Friday scams, such as phishing emails and messages.

So, before you dive into your seasonal shopping this year, explore our tips on how to avoid Black Friday scams. We’ll show you how to spot fake Black Friday deals and uncover the most common phishing tactics around Black Friday and Cyber Monday, helping you make safer and more informed shopping choices.

In this guide:

• What are the most common Black Friday scams? 
• How to spot fake Black Friday deals 
• How to avoid Black Friday scams and fake deals 
• What to do if you’ve been a victim of a Black Friday scam

What are the most common Black Friday scams?

Black Friday scams are widespread during peak sales like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. It’s important to stay prepared for suspicious messaging and websites that may try to attract attention.

Our essential guide to how to prevent cybercrime explores cyber scams and financial fraud in more detail. But for now, here are some of the most common Black Friday scams to watch out for.

1. Social media scams

According to data from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau, social media scams have cost UK consumers more than £214 million in the last five years. Scammers can pose as genuine social media retailers, posting unrealistic prices and insecure links. Only shop from trusted retailers with genuine customer reviews.

2. Phishing scams

From fraudulent emails promising Black Friday offers to delivery scams and account authentication messages, scammers use various tactics to trick consumers into sharing their personal and financial information. Phishing scams use urgent messaging to encourage users to act quickly without considering the legitimacy of the email or SMS.

3. Fake shopping websites

Consider each website carefully, even if it appears to be a well-known brand. Look for spelling errors, suspicious website links, low-quality website design, and authentic customer reviews before giving away your money and information.

Remember: Stop. Think. Challenge. Protect your data.

How to spot fake Black Friday deals

Outside of sinister scams, to capitalise on sales, it’s also common for genuine retailers to manipulate their prices to look like they’re offering a major discount. This can make offers harder to resist, but there are ways to spot these fake Black Friday deals.

Look out for:

• Inflated 'was' prices: A product may show a hefty discount, but the higher ‘original price’ might only have been in effect for a few days or weeks. This makes it appear like there was a big price drop, when in reality, the retailer has recently increased the price to make their Black Friday ‘discounts’ look better.
• Small price drops highlighted as major deals: Many retailers flag every price reduction as a discount – even if it's just a 1p saving.
• Limited-time urgency: Flash sales and countdown timers pressure shoppers to buy quickly before they sell out. This tactic plays on the expectation that, under pressure, consumers may make rash decisions without necessarily looking into the finer details.

How to avoid Black Friday scams and fake deals

To help you make sure you’re getting a genuine bargain, here are our essential Black Friday and Cyber Monday safety tips. From verifying special offers and messages to checking for the best possible deal, don’t fall victim to fake promotions.

1. Be wary of marketing messages

Many marketing emails and messages land in your inbox to help you secure a better bargain or let you know a sale is about to start. But scammers are also known to take advantage of the busy Black Friday and festive shopping period with phishing scams, hoping to catch out unassuming consumers.

Always check the URL to make sure you’re dealing with the official brand, and think twice about any links received in emails, texts, or ads.

2. Protect your personal data

It’s not always enough to simply avoid suspicious emails, promotions, and messages. It’s crucial to protect your personal and financial data with extra security measures, too. Use strong, unique passwords and set up two-factor authentication (2FA) to help offer a second layer of security on your accounts.

Our guide on how to protect your personal data offers key steps to shielding your private data and online payment methods.

3. Check prices across multiple retailers

If a product is widely available at the same price but only one retailer advertises it as a ‘special offer’, it’s likely not a true deal. Comparing prices at different stores can help you see through the noise of the sales and find where the actual bargain may lie.

4. Don’t trust ‘was’ prices blindly

Retailers often highlight ‘was’ prices to make discounts seem more impressive. If the higher price was only in effect for a short time, the deal may not be as good as it appears.

A recent study by Which? revealed that 92% of Black Friday deals were the same value or cheaper throughout the year, showing that Black Friday wasn’t the best time to buy. So, make sure to check how long the ‘was’ price was active to find out how good the deal really is.

5. Review price history

One of the best ways to identify if you are getting a good deal is to review the item's price history. Tools like CamelCamelCamel, PriceRunner, and PriceSpy let you look up an item’s price history, showing how it fluctuates over time. This allows you to verify if it’s genuinely cheaper on Black Friday, or if it’s better to wait. Some retailers also include the previous price history of items, so if you’ve had your eye on something for a while, be sure to check beforehand.

6. Verify manufacturer pricing

When shopping around for Black Friday deals, always check the product manufacturer’s website to confirm the Recommended Retail Price (RRP). While many retailers use RRPs to highlight the size of their discounts, these prices can sometimes be outdated, inflated, or irrelevant, especially if the product is older or discontinued. So, you might be able to find a better deal by shopping directly with the brand or manufacturer.

What to do if you’ve been a victim of a Black Friday scam

If you’ve been a victim of a Black Friday scam:

• Get in touch with your bank as soon as possible: If you’ve used a credit card for purchases over £100, you may be protected by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act – which safeguards consumers from orders gone wrong.
• Report the scam: Call 0300 123 2040 to report the incident to Action Fraud. You can also forward suspicious emails and SMS texts to the government.
• Change your passwords: If your password security has been compromised, protect your accounts by changing your passwords.

Shop smarter, not faster

Black Friday can be a great opportunity to save money, but only if you’re vigilant. Retailers rely on impulsive buying habits, so take your time to evaluate each ‘deal’ carefully and consider if it’s:

1. Genuine
2. The best possible price
3. Something you really need

By comparing prices, researching price histories, and checking the fine print, you can ensure that your purchases are truly worth it. And if a deal seems too good to be true, it’s always best to check that it’s legitimate. For more insights on online safety and keeping your data safe, explore our guide to strong password practices.