Black Friday was once a time when families would fight their way through malls to get their hands on the best deals long before the sun came up the day after Thanksgiving in the US.
Today, Black Friday spans the entire holiday weekend—from Thursday through Monday. And almost 90% of shoppers make their holiday gift purchases online, according to a report from PYMNTS, a global data and analytics company.
The rise of online shopping is good news for the busy shopper, as it’s generally quick, convenient, and saves you the hassle of hunting for a parking space. But it’s bad news for your security as online scams run rampant during the holidays. And the numbers don’t lie: at Trustpilot we see a huge spike in reviews mentioning scams around Black Friday.
So, whether you’re searching for a deal on the latest phone, a new outfit or that statement piece of furniture you’ve had your eye on, make sure you’re aware of these Black Friday scams and how you can keep yourself (and your wallet) safe.
Keep an eye on fake retailers
During the biggest shopping stretch of the year, you might receive dozens of emails from familiar stores. In fact, you might get an email that has a similar look and feel to a brand you love, and you’re pretty sure it’s the same company. But when you click the link, you end up on a scammer’s website.
If you’re not careful, you might even be fooled all the way through checkout, where you enter credit card information into the scam site. When the package never arrives, you realize you don’t have an order confirmation or a contact number. That’s why it’s critical to always check the URL of a site you click on. Is it the same address as your favorite store? If it looks unusual or has typos in it, it’s likely a scam.
Unheard of deals are unheard of for a reason
Many retailers compete for attention around similar products during the holidays. For instance, you might see Amazon and Walmart all promoting the same discounts on toys, TVs, and household goods.
If you’re looking for something specific and can’t find any deals, you might be ecstatic to receive an email touting a discount on the product you want. But you’ve never heard of the retailer — is that a problem? Quite possibly, yes. If a deal looks too good to be true, and you don’t recognize the vendor, it might be a scam. Delete the email or close the browser, and definitely don’t click on any links.
If you’re unsure about a company’s practices, check out their Trustpilot profile page to see if others have shared their experience.
Be wary of weird payment requests
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports that 2.8 million consumers lost almost $6 billion in fraud last year. Requests for payment by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards could be scams, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Crypto isn’t well-regulated and money that is wire transferred comes directly out of your bank account. Your account could be wiped out and it could take weeks to recoup the loss—if your bank approves it. Debit cards and wire transfers don’t have the same protections as credit cards, which generally allow you to dispute a charge or get a refund if a fake charge goes through. If you get a wire transfer or crypto payment request, ignore it and block the caller.
Also, watch out for phone scams that pressure you into payment over the phone. These could be done any number of different ways, like a fraudster posing as a legitimate company (even if you’ve never done business with them) or scaring you into paying for something they say is overdue. If you can’t verify the company or get a call-back number, those can be red flags. Never give personal and financial information over the phone and if anyone requests payment over the phone, especially as a wire transfer or a deposit into an unknown account, hang up.
Credit card skimming is real
Still, even credit cards are vulnerable to Black Friday scams. When you head to the stores, all your information can be stolen with a single swipe. Credit card skimming involves a tiny reader that is discretely attached to a card-swiping machine. When you swipe your card, the skimmer takes your information. It can happen at your ATM, gas station, and yes — your favorite Black Friday shopping retailer.
What to watch for? A card reader that shows signs of tampering, wiggles when you touch it, or protrudes slightly rather than a flat surface that you insert your card into.
Do due diligence before donating to a fake charity
If you’re branching out and donating to a new charity this season, beware of any you aren’t familiar with that seem adamant about getting your money. If the charity has a weird payment request (see above) or you can’t find details about them online (annual report, physical address, and other specifics), you might be running into a scam. Before passing along your personal or financial details look for signs that the charity is legitimate. Even if the mission is in line with your values, don't get tricked into believing it’s a real company when it’s not.
What we learned from reviews
We analyzed 850.000 reviews left on Trustpilot in the 10 days before and after Black Friday 2021. Here’s what we found:
More negative reviews were left around Black Friday than at any other time of year.
Jewelry & watches, computers & phones, and gaming saw the biggest increase in negative reviews after Black Friday.
Clothing, shoes, phones and furniture companies were the most-viewed categories on Black Friday.
If you’re planning on snapping up a bargain this Black Friday, don’t forget to search for top-rated companies on Trustpilot and let reviews help you decide if a deal is legit or too good to be true.
Staying safe this Black Friday
The holidays should be a joy-filled time. Don't let Black Friday scams put a damper on your enthusiasm. Do your homework on the item you’re planning to buy, what method of payment is safest and where you’re buying it from. The more proactive you are about protecting yourself, the less likely you are to be scammed this holiday season.
Trustpilot is a review platform that is open to all. The companies and profile pages referenced in this article are provided for informational purposes only and are not recommended, endorsed by, or representative of the views of Trustpilot. The Trustpilot companies linked in this post are expected to abide by Trustpilot’s Guidelines, but have not been reviewed for compliance.
