TL;DR: Cyber Week, the stretch from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, draws a concentrated wave of fake retailer sites because online shopping volume and ad spending both peak at the same time. Navigate to retailers by typing the URL directly rather than clicking an ad, and check for a legitimate return address and customer service line before entering payment details on an unfamiliar site.
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Cyber Week, the stretch from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, draws a concentrated wave of fake retailer sites because online shopping volume and ad spending both peak at the same time.
How the Scam Plays Out
Scammers clone the look of well-known retail sites almost exactly, buying ads that lead to a fake checkout page built purely to capture card numbers with no product ever shipped.
How to Protect Yourself
Navigate to retailers by typing the URL directly rather than clicking an ad, and check for a legitimate return address and customer service line before entering payment details on an unfamiliar site.
If this looks similar to something else you've seen, it's worth reading Hurricane and Natural Disaster Relief Scams.
This pattern shows up elsewhere too — see Election Season Political Donation Scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does this typically happen?
Cyber Week, the stretch from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, draws a concentrated wave of fake retailer sites because online shopping volume and ad spending both peak at the same time.
What tactics are used?
Scammers clone the look of well-known retail sites almost exactly, buying ads that lead to a fake checkout page built purely to capture card numbers with no product ever shipped.
How can I protect myself?
Navigate to retailers by typing the URL directly rather than clicking an ad, and check for a legitimate return address and customer service line before entering payment details on an unfamiliar site.
What should I do if I’ve already been targeted?
Stop all payments immediately, contact your bank or card issuer to see if a transaction can be reversed or flagged, and report the incident to the appropriate consumer protection body.