The holiday shopping season is no longer a single Friday. Walmart’s early Black Friday sale opens Thursday, Nov. 12, with in-store deals starting at 6 a.m. local time, and Amazon has announced its Black Friday Week for Nov. 19-30. For scammers, that long runway is an opportunity, and consumer experts are urging families to slow down before they click “buy.”
Fake storefronts, phony delivery texts and drained gift cards top this year’s warning lists from Money, Fox News’ CyberGuy and local consumer reporters. Here is what to watch for and the simple habits that can protect your holiday budget.
Why the risk is rising now
Shoppers are hunting hard for value. A Deloitte survey cited by Money found households expect to spend about $1,654 this season, up 4% from 2025, and 38% of respondents are using at least five money-saving tactics. That pressure makes a “too good to be true” price tempting, just as Upstormed News reported when forecasters said families plan fewer gifts this year.
The losses are real. The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, citing FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center figures, reported that non-payment and non-delivery scams cost Americans more than $503 million in 2025. Chase told Money that nearly half of the scams reported to the bank in 2025 began on social media.
Five scams to watch for this season
- Copycat stores and fake deals. Lookalike websites copy a brand’s logo and layout but use a slightly altered web address. Ads with countdown timers and steep discounts on hot items are a common lure, and buyers may get counterfeits or nothing at all.
- Fake delivery texts. Messages posing as USPS, UPS or FedEx claim a package is delayed or that a small fee is due. Fox News noted that USPS does not charge redelivery fees, so a request for one is a red flag.
- Fake order problems. Emails about failed payments, locked accounts or unauthorized charges push you to call a number, share a verification code or install remote-access software.
- Gift card draining. Criminals tamper with cards on store racks to copy the numbers, then empty the balance after the card is activated. Deloitte found 54% of shoppers plan to buy gift cards this year, according to Money.
- AI-polished scams. Generative AI helps fraudsters write convincing emails, ads and shopping sites. Money also cautioned that AI shopping assistants could pick an unvetted seller, so do not hand them your bank login.
Simple habits that protect your wallet
- Type the retailer’s address yourself or use its official app instead of tapping links in ads, texts or emails.
- Check delivery status by entering your tracking number on the carrier’s own website.
- Pay with a credit card, which offers dispute protections, rather than cash, wire transfers or payment apps. Money specifically cautioned against using Zelle to buy merchandise.
- Inspect gift card packaging for tears or exposed codes before you buy, and keep the receipt.
- Turn on purchase alerts and review card statements into January, not just in December.
- Remember: no real business or government agency asks to be paid in gift cards.
Keeping an eye on your accounts is also a good time to do a broader money check-up. Our guide on checking your credit report for free walks through the steps.
If you think you were scammed
Act quickly. Contact your bank or card issuer to dispute the charge, change any passwords you may have shared, and report gift card fraud to the company that issued the card. Fox News and California’s attorney general both point consumers to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and the FBI at ic3.gov. Suspicious texts can be forwarded to 7726 (SPAM) to alert your wireless carrier, and anyone whose personal information was exposed can use IdentityTheft.gov.
Why it matters for families
- Scams hit hardest when budgets are already tight, and a single fake order can wipe out a gift budget.
- Talk with teens who shop on social media apps; flash-sale ads there are a top source of fraud.
- Check in with older relatives. An AARP survey cited by Money found about a third of adults have given or received a gift card with no balance, though not every case involves fraud.
With major sales running from now through Cyber Monday on Nov. 30, Upstormed News will keep tracking holiday deals and consumer warnings.
Read more: Buy Now, Pay Later This Christmas? Count the Cost Before You Click
Have you received a fake delivery text or spotted a copycat store this season? Tell us in the comments.
Sources: Money, “These Are the 5 Biggest Holiday Shopping Scams to Watch Out for in 2026” (November 4, 2026); Fox News, “7 holiday shopping scams to watch for this season” (November 3, 2026); The Santa Clarita Valley Signal, “’Tis the Season for Holiday Shopping Scams” (November 1, 2026); California Attorney General, “Think Before You Click the Link” consumer alert (December 12, 2024); NJ.com via Yahoo, “Walmart’s Black Friday 2026 sale kicks off Nov. 12” (November 11, 2026); Amazon, “Amazon’s Black Friday Week and Cyber Monday Return November 19-30” (November 9, 2026)
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