Black Friday Traps to Watch — Holiday Shopping Safety Tips
🛒🔐 BLACK FRIDAY TRAPS TO WATCH — HOLIDAY SHOPPING SAFETY TIPS
Black Friday and holiday shopping season bring great deals for travel and gifts — but also a surge in scams, fake websites, and misleading offers designed to steal your money or personal information. Planning trips and buying tickets? Scammers use ads, emails, social media posts, and flash-sale pages to trick shoppers into buying from fraudulent sites or handing over sensitive data. Stay alert so the “deal” you click on doesn’t cost you more in the end.
💸 COMMON TACTICS SCAMMERS USE:
Fake online stores advertising unbelievable deals on popular items.
Social media ads linking to unverified or brand-new websites.
Phony order confirmations or delivery updates you never requested.
“Only 3 left!” countdowns meant to pressure quick purchases.
Requests for payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or unusual apps.
🚨 WARNING SIGNS:
Prices that are dramatically lower than any major retailer.
No customer reviews, return policy, or customer service contact listed.
Websites with misspellings, poor design, or unfamiliar URLs.
The seller insists on fast payment or says the deal “expires in minutes.”
Checkout pages that look unprofessional or ask for extra personal details.
🛡️ PROTECT YOURSELF:
Shop directly from trusted retailers’ official websites or apps.
Verify deals by comparing prices across multiple reputable stores.
Use credit cards for online purchases — they offer stronger fraud protection.
Avoid clicking shopping links from random emails, texts, or social media ads.
Check website reviews, domain age, and return policies before buying.
🧰 HELPFUL RESOURCES:
📍 IF YOU GOT TRICKED BY A FAKE HOLIDAY DEAL:
Contact your bank or card issuer immediately to dispute the charge.
Change your online shopping passwords and enable two-factor authentication.
Save receipts, screenshots, and order confirmations for reporting.
Report the fraudulent seller to the BBB Scam Tracker.
Monitor your accounts for unauthorized transactions over the next few weeks.
