Cyber Monday Scams: Red Flags to Watch For
Spot fake Cyber Monday deals, texts and payment demands before you pay or share personal details.
Cyber Monday scams are deceptive deals, messages, and storefronts that try to take shoppers' money or personal details during the sales rush. Red flags to watch for include items that never arrive, fake delivery texts, look-alike retailer sites, and sellers who accept only hard-to-reverse payments. Non-delivery crime means a buyer pays for online goods and never receives them.
Non-payment crime is the reverse, where a seller ships goods and never gets paid. Spotting the warning signs early helps you check the seller before you share details or pay.
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Which holiday tricks cost shoppers the most?
The FBI's Jacksonville office warned on Dec. 1, 2025 that non-delivery and non-payment crimes are the two most prevalent holiday scams, as described in the FBI Jacksonville holiday warning. Buyers lose money on goods that never arrive, while sellers lose inventory to buyers who never pay.
Those losses add up fast for online shoppers. The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center found non-payment and non-delivery scams cost victims over $104 million nationwide last year. That figure covers reported cases tied to online holiday shopping.
Phishing and spoofing add another layer of risk. The FBI's Cleveland office warned that its complaint center receives over 800,000 scam complaints yearly, with phishing remaining among the most prevalent types. These messages target both money and personal data.
What do fake texts, emails, and posts look like?
Fake package-delivery texts are the most commonly reported type of text scam. The FTC reports consumers lost $470 million to scams that started with text messages in 2024, over five times the 2020 level, according to the FTC text-message scam data. Many urge you to click a link to fix a delivery problem.
Criminal emails and messages often copy the look of a known retailer, with links that request payment or account details. CISA notes holiday criminals also set up fake websites and charity appeals alongside those messages, as explained on the CISA holiday shopping safety page. A slight misspelling, odd sender address, or urgent tone is a reason to pause.
Social posts deserve the same caution. Offers of vouchers, gift cards, or event tickets can be used to collect personal information. Verify the address in the URL bar, avoid unsolicited links, and go to the retailer or charity through a web search or saved bookmark instead.
- A delivery text with a link and a demand to act now
- An email that looks like a retailer but asks for financial details
- A deal or voucher post that sends you to an unfamiliar address
- A charity appeal with no clear contact or refund details
How can you check a seller before you buy?
Search the seller name plus its website address with the words review, complaint, or scam. The FTC cautions shoppers not to rely on star ratings alone because reviews can be fake or misleading, according to the FTC online shopping guidance. Look for patterns across several sources, not one glowing page.
Check the site itself for basic trust signals. Read the contact page, return policy, shipping times, and physical address. If those details are missing, vague, or change between pages, shop elsewhere.
Treat unsolicited links as unverified until proven otherwise. Type the store address yourself or use a link you already trust. That extra step blocks many copycat sites and redirected checkout pages.
Which payment choices give you more protection?
Pay by credit card when you can because the charge can be disputed if the order never arrives or looks wrong. Avoid sellers who demand only gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps, or crypto. Those methods are hard to reverse once the money leaves your account.
Keep records that support a dispute if needed. Save order confirmations, tracking numbers, seller messages, and payment receipts. If a deal falls apart, report it to ReportFraud.ftc.gov and ic3.gov, and contact your card issuer promptly.
Reported losses undercount the harm because many incidents go unreported. Your report still helps investigators track patterns and warn other shoppers.