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Black Friday and Cyber Monday scams

Black Friday and Cyber Monday bring some of the best deals of the year. But, during this prime retail season, scams like fake discounts, spoofed websites, and delivery fraud consistently target eager shoppers.

 

As holiday shopping ramps up, learn how to spot scam red flags on Black Friday, avoid Cyber Monday fraud schemes, and sidestep online tricksters.


An infographic displaying statistics related to the growing threat posed by shopping scams.

How scammers target shoppers

Fraudsters thrive during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and deal-hungry shoppers can see a surge of bogus ads, phishing attempts, and fake shopping sites designed to mimic real retailers. These scams prey on urgency, trying to convince eager buyers to act before thinking. 

Research by our own Threat Labs team reveals just how widespread these tactics have become. With millions of data points analyzed, we uncovered the patterns behind holiday shopping scams to help you avoid them. Awareness paired with AI-powered scam protection will go a long way to keeping your money, identity, and purchases safe.

 

icon shopping scam

Learn about store-specific scams


How Norton can help

Online shopping scams are growing more sophisticated every day, but you don’t have to face them alone. The scam protection tools included with Norton 360 use advanced AI technology to recognize scams in real time, analyzing websites, emails, and links for suspicious signs.

Fake stores, real losses

Detect fake websites

Scammers create realistic-looking online stores to trick shoppers into handing over payment details for goods that will never arrive. The Norton Safe Web feature scans for subtle markers of fraudulent or malicious websites to alert you to the risk.

Make your inbox a scam-free zone

Flag scam messages

Phishing and smishing scams often look like genuine messages from trusted retailers or delivery services. Our Safe Email and Safe SMS tools analyze the wording, structure, and links in emails and texts to filter threats and protect your inboxes.

Destination: danger!

Spot malicious links

Shortened or disguised links are one of the most common ways scammers trick you into clicking. By automatically inspecting links in real time for hidden dangers, Norton Scam Protection can help you shop online without worrying about where each click might lead.

Learn, adapt, defend — automatically

Adapt to new threats

Cybercrooks constantly invent new ways to bypass defenses, from AI-generated scams to convincing deepfakes. That’s why our AI-powered scam detection doesn’t stand still either — it learns from emerging patterns of fraud, and adapts in real time to help you stay protected against tomorrow’s scams, too.

Shop safer with Norton

Shop, browse, and bank with confidence this season and beyond. Norton 360 Deluxe combines AI-powered scam detection, device security, a VPN, and dark web monitoring in one easy-to-use solution. Get it today to help protect your data, identity, and money.

Spotlight on seasonal shopping scams


Get a Norton 360 free trial

Boost your defenses this Black Friday with a free trial of Norton 360 Deluxe,  with built-in AI-powered scam detection, antivirus protection, and VPN access.

Stay smart, stay safe

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