How to stay safe shopping online on Black Friday: scams, fake sites and delivery-text fraud

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Quick answer

To shop safely on Black Friday, buy from shops you already know or have checked, type web addresses yourself instead of tapping links in texts and emails, and pay by credit card or a payment service with buyer protection, never by bank transfer. Treat any “missed delivery” text that asks for a payment or your card details as a scam. If you think you’ve been caught out, call your bank straight away and report it to Report Fraud (the service that replaced Action Fraud) or Police Scotland.

Black Friday falls on Friday 27 November 2026, with Cyber Monday on 30 November. It’s one of the busiest weeks of the year for online shopping, and that makes it one of the busiest for fraudsters too. They know you’re expecting deal emails, order confirmations and delivery updates, so they copy all three. This guide covers the scams that turn up most often and the simple habits that stop them.

The scams to watch for this Black Friday

Fake shops and copycat websites

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) warns that it’s now easy for criminals to copy the look of a real retailer’s website, including logos and product photos. Many use a web address that looks almost right, such as an extra word or hyphen added to a well-known brand name. These sites often appear through social media adverts or search results, offering big-name products at prices that are far below anything else you’ve seen.

Signs a shop might be fake:

• The web address is slightly off, or uses an unusual ending.
• Prices are dramatically lower than every other retailer for the same model.
• There’s no clear UK address, company details or returns policy.
• The only payment options are bank transfer, gift cards or cryptocurrency.
• Reviews are either missing or all glowing and posted within a few days of each other.

Phishing emails and deal texts

Emails and texts claiming to be from a big retailer, with “exclusive” Black Friday codes or a prize you’ve supposedly won, are a classic. The link takes you to a login page that harvests your password or card details. The NCSC’s advice is simple: if you’re not sure about a link, don’t click it. Type the shop’s address into your browser instead, or search for it and read the results carefully rather than tapping the first one.

Delivery-text and missed-parcel fraud

With so many genuine parcels on the move, a text saying “we tried to deliver your parcel, pay a small redelivery fee here” feels believable. The fee is small on purpose. The real goal is to capture your card details, which are then used or sold. Sometimes a follow-up call arrives, pretending to be your bank’s fraud team and asking you to move money to a “safe account”.

Protect yourself:

• Track parcels only through the retailer’s order page or by typing the courier’s official web address yourself.
• Be wary of any message asking you to pay to release or redeliver a parcel you weren’t expecting a charge on.
• Your bank will never ask you to move money to a “safe account”. Hang up and call the number on the back of your card.

Social media and marketplace scams

Listings on social platforms and second-hand marketplaces for in-demand items (games consoles, trainers, tech) at knock-down prices are another favourite. The seller asks you to pay by bank transfer or “friends and family” to save fees, and the item never arrives. Paying that way usually removes the buyer protection you’d otherwise have.

Fake reviews and fake urgency

Countdown timers and “only 2 left” banners are designed to make you rush. Since April 2025, the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 has made fake reviews a banned practice in the UK, but they haven’t vanished. Read the detailed and negative reviews, not just the star rating.

Scam warning signs at a glance

What you see	What it might mean	What to do
Text about a missed delivery with a payment link	Card-detail phishing	Delete it; check your orders on the retailer’s own site
Brand-new website with prices far below everyone else	Fake shop	Search the company name plus “reviews” and look for a UK address
Seller asks for bank transfer or gift cards	No buyer protection	Walk away; pay by card or a protected payment service
Email says your account is locked unless you log in now	Password phishing	Go to the site directly; never log in via the link
Caller says they’re your bank and asks you to move money	Impersonation scam	Hang up and call the number on your card
Social post offering a “free” product for a small delivery fee	Subscription or card trap	Don’t enter card details for “free” items

Seven habits that keep you safe

1. Make a shortlist before the day. Decide what you want and from which retailers, then go straight to their sites. Our Black Friday deals page is a good starting point for well-known UK retailers.
2. Type the address yourself. Bookmark the shops you use. This one habit defeats most phishing links.
3. Pay by credit card where you can. The NCSC recommends credit cards for online purchases because of the protection under the Consumer Credit Act. Debit cards offer less, though you may be able to use the voluntary chargeback scheme.
4. Never pay by bank transfer to a shop you don’t know. Once the money’s gone, it’s very hard to get back.
5. Check out as a guest. The NCSC suggests only filling in the details the checkout actually needs and not letting unfamiliar shops save your card.
6. Use strong, unique passwords and 2-step verification. Turn on 2-step verification (sometimes called two-factor authentication) for your email, banking and shopping accounts. A password manager makes unique passwords painless.
7. Keep an eye on your statements. Check your bank and card apps daily through Black Friday week so you spot anything odd quickly.

Useful kit for safer shopping

You don’t need to buy anything to shop safely. But a few low-cost bits help:

• A hardware security key gives you very strong 2-step verification for accounts that support it.
• A webcam cover is a cheap privacy extra for laptops.
• A RFID-blocking card holder gives peace of mind for contactless cards when you’re out at the shops.

Check the seller and reviews on any listing before you buy, as you would with any other purchase.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

Act quickly. The faster you move, the better your chances.

1. Call your bank or card provider straight away, using the number on your card or the official website. Ask them to stop or recall the payment and block the card if needed.
2. Report it as a crime. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, report to Report Fraud, the national service that replaced Action Fraud in December 2025 (the phone line, 0300 123 2040, stayed the same). In Scotland, contact Police Scotland on 101.
3. Forward scam messages. Send suspicious emails to report@phishing.gov.uk and forward scam texts to 7726, free of charge.
4. Report fake websites to the NCSC, and scam adverts to the Advertising Standards Authority.
5. Change passwords for any account you logged into from a scam link, starting with your email.
6. Ask about Section 75 or chargeback. If you paid by card for something that never arrived, your card provider may be able to help. Citizens Advice explains both routes. See also our guide on Section 75 and chargeback.

Sources

• NCSC: Shopping and paying safely online
• NCSC: Dealing with suspicious emails and text messages
• Report Fraud (formerly Action Fraud)
• Action Fraud
• Citizens Advice: Getting your money back if you paid by card or PayPal
• Citizens Advice: Check if something might be a scam
• Stop! Think Fraud (UK government)
• Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024