Black Friday and Christmas shopping scams: how to spot them
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The scams doing the rounds this season, a two-minute check before you pay, and what to do in the first hour if you’ve been caught out. Not sure about a message? Send it to us and we’ll check it for free.
The short answer
Scammers know when we’re busy, distracted and expecting parcels, so Black Friday and Christmas are their best weeks of the year. Most shopping scams use the same few tricks: a price that’s too good to be true, a shop or delivery text that looks almost right, and pressure to act now.
The habit that beats nearly all of them: slow down, and go to the shop, bank or delivery company yourself, rather than through the link or number you were sent. If it’s genuine, you’ll find it there.
In a hurry? Jump to the two-minute check, what to do if you’ve been caught out, or the printable checklist.
Not sure? Send it to us and we’ll check it for free
If a deal, text, email or website doesn’t feel right, send us a screenshot before you click, pay or reply. We’ll take a look and tell you honestly whether it looks genuine. No charge and no obligation.
We reply during our opening hours (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm). If you’re unsure in the meantime, don’t click. Never send us passwords, card numbers or security codes. We’ll never ask for them, and nor will anyone genuine.
Why it matters
In the most recent festive figures, UK shoppers lost £11.8 million to online shopping fraud between November 2024 and January 2025 (NCSC). The year before, Action Fraud received more than 16,000 reports, an average of £695 per victim, and 43% of them involved social media (NCSC and Action Fraud). Plenty more were never reported.
The scams doing the rounds this season
The too-good-to-be-true deal
A games console, designer trainers or a new laptop at half price, usually advertised on social media or a marketplace. Either the item never arrives, or what turns up is fake.
The copycat shop
A website that looks just like a well-known retailer, with a slightly different web address, often reached through a paid ad or a social media post.
The “missed delivery” text or email
“We couldn’t deliver your parcel, pay £1.99 to rearrange.” The fee is tiny, but the real target is your card details.
The marketplace or social media seller
They want payment by bank transfer “to save fees”, or ask you to move the chat off the platform.
The fake order or refund message
“Your Amazon order of £849 has been placed. Call us if this wasn’t you.” The number goes straight to the scammer.
The gift card request
No genuine company, bank or tax office asks you to pay with gift cards. If anyone does, it’s a scam.
The “your PC has a virus” pop-up or call
It appears while you’re browsing deals. Close it, and never call the number or let anyone take control of your computer.
Fake vouchers, prize draws and “free gift” surveys
Shared in WhatsApp groups or on Facebook, they just collect your details.
The two-minute check before you pay
1Is the price realistic?
If it’s far cheaper than everywhere else, ask why. Big retailers rarely beat each other by 50% or more.
2Check the web address
Look at it carefully: spelling, extra words (“-outlet”, “-sale”, “-uk-deals”), or an odd ending. Better still, type the shop’s name into your browser yourself instead of using the ad or link.
3Look the shop up
Search its name plus “reviews” or “scam” and check reviews on an independent site. A brand-new shop with no history and huge discounts is a red flag.
4Look for real contact details
A UK address, a phone number and a returns policy. A contact form and nothing else is a warning sign.
5Check how you’re being asked to pay
If it’s bank transfer, gift cards or crypto only, walk away.
6Feel the pressure
Countdown timers, “only 2 left” and “today only” are designed to stop you thinking. A genuine deal will still be there in ten minutes.
Still not sure? Send us a screenshot. It’s free.
Paying safely
- Use a credit card where you can. For purchases between £100 and £30,000, Section 75 means the card company is jointly responsible if things go wrong. Debit cards and PayPal have their own buyer protection too, but it’s not as strong.
- Never pay by bank transfer to a seller you don’t know. Once it’s gone, it’s very hard to get back.
- Stay on the platform. On Facebook Marketplace, eBay or Vinted, keep messages and payment inside the site, where its buyer protection applies.
- Don’t save your card on sites you’ll only use once.
- Turn on two-step verification for your email, Amazon, PayPal and bank. See our cyber security checks.
- Keep an eye on your statements through December and January, and report anything you don’t recognise straight away.
Buying tech? Ask someone local first
Laptops, tablets and consoles are some of the most faked and most advertised “deals” of the season. Before you buy:
- You might not need a new one at all. An SSD and more memory can make an older laptop feel new for a fraction of the price. See upgrade or replace?
- Ask us for a quote. We can supply new laptops and PCs from all the main brands, and build custom PCs to suit you. You get an honest recommendation from a real person in Newport, the price agreed up front, and no risk of a parcel that never turns up.
- Check the spec, not just the price. A cheap laptop with 4GB of memory or a small eMMC drive will disappoint, however good the deal looks. We’re happy to look over a deal before you buy it.
Caught out? What to do in the first hour
It happens to careful people every day, so don’t be embarrassed. Acting fast matters far more than how it happened.
1Card or bank details entered?
Phone your bank straight away on 159, or the number on the back of your card. Ask them to block the card and watch for payments.
2Password typed into a fake page?
Change it now, from a different device if you can. Change it anywhere else you use the same password, starting with your email.
3Let someone onto your computer, or installed something they asked you to?
Disconnect from the internet (turn off the Wi-Fi), and don’t log into your bank on that computer until it’s been checked.
4Read out a code?
Tell the company the code was for (your bank, Amazon, PayPal), and turn on two-step verification if it isn’t on already.
5Report it
At reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. Forward scam texts to 7726 and scam emails to report@phishing.gov.uk.
6Keep the evidence
Screenshots, order confirmations, the seller’s profile and the web address.
We’ll make sure your computer and accounts are safe
If you’ve clicked a link, downloaded something or let someone onto your computer, we’ll check it properly and put things right:
- Scan and clean the computer for malware, unwanted software and remote-access tools the scammer may have left behind.
- Secure your accounts: change passwords, check email forwarding rules, sign out other devices and switch on two-step verification.
- Check your browsers for fake add-ons and changed settings.
- Explain what happened in plain English, and what to watch for over the next few weeks.
This is usually a Full Service call-out (around 1 hour): £70 (£80 for locations requiring extra travel). Virus clean-ups include a 30-day re-clean if anything comes back. On a Windows PC or laptop that’s still working, we can often do it as a Remote Full Session for £55, with no travel charge, but only by appointment, after you’ve called or booked. The price is agreed first, and repairs come with our 60-day guarantee.
A warning about “remote support”
We only ever connect to your computer when you’ve contacted us first and we’ve agreed a time. If someone calls you out of the blue offering to fix your computer, it isn’t us, and it isn’t Microsoft or your broadband provider either.
New laptop or PC for Christmas? We’ll set it up safely
A brand-new computer isn’t ready to use out of the box. We’ll come to you and:
- Install every update and remove the trial software that slows it down
- Set up your accounts, email and two-step verification
- Move your photos, documents and settings across from the old one
- Set up backups and Windows Security, so it’s protected from day one
- Wipe the old computer safely if you’re selling or passing it on
Setting up a new computer is usually a Full Service call-out (around 1 hour): £70 (£80 for locations requiring extra travel). Book early for the days after Christmas: they fill up fast.
Give the gift of tech help: Icon Computing gift cards
Stuck for a present for a parent, grandparent or anyone who always asks you to fix their computer? An Icon Computing gift card can be spent on any of our services: setting up a new laptop, a clean-up and speed-up, remote help, or Wi-Fi sorted out at home.
- £35, £45, £70 or £100: a remote session, an Express call-out, a Full Service call-out, or more
- Sent by email, ready to print or forward
- Never expires, and any balance stays on the card for next time
- Spent with a real, local technician in Newport
Secure checkout by Square. A reminder from the scams section: a genuine company will never ask you to pay a bill with gift cards. Ours are bought from us, for our services only.
Printable checklist: before you buy online
Print this for yourself, or for a parent or grandparent who shops online.
Before you buy online
- Is the price realistic, compared with other shops?
- Did I type the shop’s address myself, rather than clicking an ad or link?
- Does the shop have real reviews, a UK address, a phone number and a returns policy?
- Am I paying by credit card, or on the platform, and never by bank transfer or gift card?
- Is anyone rushing me? If so, stop.
- Delivery text or email? Check on the courier’s own app or website, not the link.
- Never share a code, password or card PIN with anyone who contacts me.
- Not sure? Send a screenshot to Icon Computing: info@iconcomputing.co.uk or 01633 859991.
Common questions
Is the free scam check really free?
Yes. Send us a screenshot and we’ll tell you whether it looks genuine. There’s no charge and no obligation. You only pay if you then want us to fix something, and we’ll agree the price first.
How quickly will you reply?
As soon as we can during our opening hours, Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. If you’re worried in the meantime, don’t click, don’t pay and don’t reply.
I clicked a link but didn’t type anything in. Am I OK?
Probably, but close the page and run a full scan in Windows Security. If anything looked odd, or a download started, get in touch and we’ll check it properly.
Will my bank refund me?
Often, yes, especially if you report it quickly. Since October 2024, UK banks must reimburse most victims of authorised push payment scams (paying a scammer by bank transfer), up to £85,000, unless they’ve been grossly negligent. Some banks take off up to £100. Phone them on 159 straight away.
Is it safe to buy on Facebook Marketplace?
It can be, but most social media scams start there. Meet in person to collect where you can, never pay by bank transfer before you’ve seen the item, and be wary of sellers who want to move the chat elsewhere.
Can you fix my computer if a scammer has been on it?
Yes. We’ll clean it, remove any remote-access software, secure your accounts and explain what happened. This is usually a Full Service call-out (£70), or a Remote Full Session (£55) on a working Windows PC.
Do your gift cards expire?
No. Icon Computing gift cards never expire, and any balance left over stays on the card until you use it.
Not sure about a deal, text or email?
Send us a screenshot and we’ll check it for free.