Cybersecurity

Black Friday Scams to Watch For: Fake Stores, Delivery Texts & How to Stay Safe

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Illustration of a warning shield beside two price tags on a deep red and indigo background

By Quinn Mercer · Published Oct 18, 2026

Quick answer

  • Fake stores and ads: unbelievably low prices on expensive items are a top warning sign.
  • Fake delivery texts: USPS won’t text you unless you requested tracking, and its texts never include a link.
  • Weird payment requests: gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps or crypto = scam.
  • Best protection: type the store’s address yourself, pay by credit card, and report scams at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

1. Fake online stores and social media ads

Scammers copy real brands’ logos and photos, then advertise popular items at prices that are too good to be true. If you order, you get a knockoff or nothing. (FTC)

How to avoid it:

  • Go to the retailer by typing its address or using a bookmark, not by clicking the ad.
  • Unfamiliar store? Search its name plus “scam,” “review,” or “complaint.”
  • Check the return policy and who pays return shipping before you buy.

2. “Your package is delayed” texts (smishing)

These texts say there’s a delivery problem or unpaid postage and push you to click a link. The link leads to a look-alike site that steals your card details. (FTC)

Know this: according to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, USPS doesn’t text or email you unless you requested tracking with a tracking number, and those messages won’t contain a link. (USPIS)

How to avoid it:

  • Don’t click, and don’t reply.
  • Check the tracking info in the account where you ordered, or by typing USPS.com yourself.
  • Forward scam texts to 7726 (SPAM). USPS-related ones can also go to spam@uspis.gov.

3. Payment-method traps

The FTC is clear: only scammers demand payment by gift card, wire transfer, payment app, or cryptocurrency. That money is nearly impossible to get back. (FTC)

How to avoid it:

  • Pay by credit card so you can dispute a charge if the item never shows up or isn’t what you ordered.
  • Never pay a “store” by Zelle, Venmo, Cash App, gift card or crypto.

4. Phishing emails about “your order” or “your account”

Fake order confirmations, “suspicious login” warnings and “claim your reward” emails spike during the holidays. USPIS warns these may include fake links or attachments that can install malware. (USPIS)

How to avoid it:

  • Don’t click links in unexpected emails. Open the app or type the site address yourself.
  • Turn on two-factor authentication for your shopping and email accounts.
  • Keep your phone and computer updated.

5. Fake “deals” from real stores

Not a crime exactly, but still a trap: an inflated “original” price that makes an ordinary price look like a steal. The FTC’s pricing guides call a bargain based on a fictitious former price “a false one.” (16 CFR 233.1)

How to avoid it: check the price history first. → How to Spot a Fake Black Friday Deal

Quick safety checklist

  • ☐ Store address typed in or bookmarked, not clicked from an ad
  • ☐ Unknown store searched with “scam” and “review”
  • ☐ Paying by credit card
  • ☐ No links clicked in delivery texts
  • ☐ 2FA on for email and shopping accounts
  • ☐ Price checked against its recent history

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If you got scammed

  1. Call your card issuer or bank right away to dispute the charge or freeze the card.
  2. Change passwords on any account you entered on the fake site, and turn on 2FA.
  3. Report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. For internet crime, also report to the FBI at ic3.gov. Report USPS-themed scams to spam@uspis.gov.

Guidance is current as of writing. Always check the official FTC and USPS pages for the latest.