The final months of the year are a shopping frenzy. From Singles’ Day to Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and the Christmas rush, the internet is packed with flash sales, gift ideas, and last-minute deals. But it’s not just retailers who are getting ready – scammers are too.
Scammers know that people are more distracted, less cautious, and eager to grab a bargain during busy sale periods. That’s why fake websites, phishing emails, scam texts, and malicious apps all surge during this time of year.
According to Barclays, purchase scam losses surged by 22% during the Black Friday and Cyber Monday in 2023. Additionally, data from FSecure also shows a sharp rise in scam activity, with blocked scam websites in late 2024 nearly tripling compared to the rest of the year.
Scammers use urgency, excitement, and high traffic volumes to slip their traps into your inbox, social feed, and search results. If you're shopping online this season, here’s what you need to know to stay safe and avoid getting caught in a scam.
During peak shopping periods, scammers launch convincing fake stores faster than ever. These sites often mimic real retailers or feature trending gift items with big discounts. The designs look professional, the reviews seem glowing—and once you pay, the product never arrives.
Worse, your credit card details and personal information may be harvested and used for further fraud.
This is how you stay safe:
With inboxes and social feeds flooded with promotions, scammers blend in using phishing emails, fake shipping alerts, or ads that mimic real brands. These messages often contain urgent language: “Limited time offer!” or “Problem with your delivery”—to prompt a quick click.
Clicking the link can lead to a fake login page, a malware download, or a bogus payment request.
This is how you stay safe:
Some scam sites don’t stop at luring you in—they go further by collecting full payment information on phony checkout pages. These pages may use HTTPS and even a padlock icon, but once you submit your card info, the scammers get your info too. Scammers may even redirect you to the real store afterward to avoid suspicion.
This is how you stay safe:
A growing tactic involves sending victims links to download fake tracking or shipping apps, claiming to help you manage deliveries during the busy season. These apps are actually malware, capable of stealing passwords, reading messages, or monitoring activity in the background.
Scammers often pose as sellers, couriers, or even customer support to get these apps installed.
This is how you stay safe:
The risk isn’t just about losing money on a fake product. Once scammers have your information, they can:
And the damage can last far beyond the holiday season.
A few simple precautions can go a long way in staying safe:
If you’re unfamiliar with the seller, research them. Look for contact details, refund policies, and customer reviews from outside the website. A quick web search and review sites like TrustPilot can help a lot.
Whether it’s email, SMS, or social media—be cautious. Phishing often relies on urgency and surprise. If it’s important, it’ll still be there when you search for it manually.
“Only 1 left.” “Deal ends in 5 minutes.” These are classic scam triggers. Take a moment to verify before buying.
Use different passwords for each shopping site—and make sure they’re hard to guess. A password manager helps immensely in both creating and remembering unique passwords.
It adds an extra layer of security to your accounts, making it harder for scammers to log in even if they get your password.
Some scams are easy to miss, even if you’re careful. That’s where smart protection comes in. Modern security tools like Hawaiian Telcom SafeGuard can:
It’s like a digital safety net working in the background, so you can focus on finding the deals—not dodging the traps.