Holiday shoppers beware: AI-powered scams are on the rise this Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
As consumers dive headfirst into the holiday shopping frenzy, experts warn that sophisticated scammers are using artificial intelligence to create fake websites, phishing emails, and deepfake videos that impersonate trusted brands or influencers. This is not a new tactic, but AI has significantly accelerated its frequency and sophistication, allowing bad actors to mimic human language, replicate trusted branding, and personalize messages at speed and scale.
Criminals are relentless during the holiday season, exploiting opportunities such as shopping, traveling, and charitable giving to swindle unsuspecting victims. According to a survey by McAfee, 96% of US adults plan to shop online this holiday season, yet 22% have fallen for a scam in the past year. Scammers know that when people are rushing to buy gifts and click "checkout," they're also less likely to slow down and verify what they're seeing.
One way scammers can make their fake websites look authentic is by copying major brand websites down to the logo, product photography, and even checkout cart and customer service pages. However, there's a telltale clue that might give you pause: the website address. For example, a fraudulent website could be "target-sale.com" instead of the real "target.com."
In addition to fake websites, scammers are using fake shipping alerts, bogus charities, and gift card schemes to steal money and personal information. According to AARP's holiday shopping and scams report, 89% of US adults have experienced at least one scam this year, with more than half receiving a fake shipping notice and nearly 4 in 10 encountering deceptive ads on social media.
So how can you avoid falling victim to these AI-powered scams? Here are some tips:
* Don't click on links in emails or texts; go directly to a retailer's website
* Verify URLs and look for HTTPS security indicators
* Use credit cards, which offer stronger fraud protection than debit or payment apps
* Be skeptical of urgency - "limited time offers" are often scams
* Research unfamiliar sellers before buying, especially on social media platforms
* Be cautious of QR codes; they can be embedded with malicious links
* Beware of fake delivery notifications and never click on links in messages claiming to be from your PayPal or Amazon account
* Avoid public Wi-Fi while shopping and use a secure connection instead
As consumers dive headfirst into the holiday shopping frenzy, experts warn that sophisticated scammers are using artificial intelligence to create fake websites, phishing emails, and deepfake videos that impersonate trusted brands or influencers. This is not a new tactic, but AI has significantly accelerated its frequency and sophistication, allowing bad actors to mimic human language, replicate trusted branding, and personalize messages at speed and scale.
Criminals are relentless during the holiday season, exploiting opportunities such as shopping, traveling, and charitable giving to swindle unsuspecting victims. According to a survey by McAfee, 96% of US adults plan to shop online this holiday season, yet 22% have fallen for a scam in the past year. Scammers know that when people are rushing to buy gifts and click "checkout," they're also less likely to slow down and verify what they're seeing.
One way scammers can make their fake websites look authentic is by copying major brand websites down to the logo, product photography, and even checkout cart and customer service pages. However, there's a telltale clue that might give you pause: the website address. For example, a fraudulent website could be "target-sale.com" instead of the real "target.com."
In addition to fake websites, scammers are using fake shipping alerts, bogus charities, and gift card schemes to steal money and personal information. According to AARP's holiday shopping and scams report, 89% of US adults have experienced at least one scam this year, with more than half receiving a fake shipping notice and nearly 4 in 10 encountering deceptive ads on social media.
So how can you avoid falling victim to these AI-powered scams? Here are some tips:
* Don't click on links in emails or texts; go directly to a retailer's website
* Verify URLs and look for HTTPS security indicators
* Use credit cards, which offer stronger fraud protection than debit or payment apps
* Be skeptical of urgency - "limited time offers" are often scams
* Research unfamiliar sellers before buying, especially on social media platforms
* Be cautious of QR codes; they can be embedded with malicious links
* Beware of fake delivery notifications and never click on links in messages claiming to be from your PayPal or Amazon account
* Avoid public Wi-Fi while shopping and use a secure connection instead
! with all the hype around black friday and cyber monday, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and forget to be careful. but seriously, ai-powered scams are getting super sophisticated and hard to spot 
. just remember to always check the website address (if it looks even slightly off, don't click 
) and never give out personal info or cash without verifying the seller first 
!
also, make sure u use credit cards instead of debit/ payment apps. and omg, don't even get me started on those qr codes... just avoid 'em altogether 
instead of target.com.
. so yeah, just be super careful online this holiday season. use credit cards, verify urls, n research unfamiliar sellers before buyin. and if somethin seems too good 2 b true, its probably a scam! 
u gotta be super careful this year. 96% of ppl in the us plan to shop online but 22% got scammed last yr? that's wild 
also, who makes fake shipping alerts and gift card schemes? that's just basic 
like they copy major brands down to the logo & product pics. But trust me, the website address is the real giveaway 
️. just remember: if u see a suspicious link or email, don't click! go straight to the retailer's site 
, and always use HTTPS security indicators 
, just cuz they sound urgent dont mean theyre true 
. stay safe out there! 
