Black Friday scams: an urgent warning from UK cyber experts

As Black Friday approaches, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has issued an urgent warning to shoppers about a sharp rise in online scams. Between November 2023 and January 2024 alone, Britons reported losing 11.5 million pounds to online shopping fraud, an increase of 900,000 pounds compared with the previous year. More than 16,000 cases were reported during that single festive period.

The average victim lost 695 pounds, and people aged 30 to 49 filed the most reports. Social media platforms were mentioned in 43% of cases, well ahead of online marketplaces, which appeared in around 19% of reports. Clothing, high-end tech products and even vehicles were among the most targeted items.

Fraudsters commonly impersonate well-known brands, copying their logos and website layouts to trick bargain hunters into entering their payment details. Others send fake delivery notifications, hoping victims will click a malicious link, or advertise unrealistic discounts on popular electronics.

« Creating a false sense of urgency is a tell-tale sign of a fraudster, » warned Adam Mercer, deputy head of Action Fraud. NCSC chief executive Richard Horne added that cyber criminals now « exploit bargain hunters with increasingly sophisticated scams, sometimes crafted using AI ».

Officials recommend several safeguards: turning on two-step verification for important accounts, paying by credit card rather than bank transfer for better protection, and stopping to think whenever something « doesn’t feel right » before clicking a link.

Adapted from NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre), November 2025