If the dozens of ads and emails flooding your inbox haven’t already made it clear, Black Friday is officially here. It’s the perfect time of year to wrap up your holiday shopping and finally grab the things you’ve had your eye on for months.
But if you’re not careful, it can also turn into a digital minefield. Alongside the real deals, you’ll find ghost stores, sketchy delivery messages for packages you never ordered, and ads that promise high-end phones at prices that seem far too good to be true.
With that in mind, it’s natural to hesitate before clicking on an offer. The good news? Technology can give you a hand. The trusted Avast Free Antivirus now includes Avast Scam Guardian. This new feature helps detect and block fake websites and phishing messages, enabling you to browse and shop with greater confidence during the busiest shopping weeks of the year.
Fake Online Stores
During Black Friday, fake online stores multiply across social media and ad platforms. These websites often look convincing, using polished photos, logos, and even fabricated customer reviews. But many are built to collect payments for products that never ship.
A major warning sign is a steep, unrealistic discount- for example, a branded jacket normally costing $160 offered for $19.99. Other red flags include missing refund policies, limited payment methods, or a lack of business contact details.
Even the web address can be deceptive. Scammers often mimic real brand URLs by swapping letters or adding small changes, such as “amaz0n” instead of “amazon.” Taking a moment to double-check the domain can help you spot the difference.
Delivery Scams and Fake Invoices
Around Black Friday, inboxes fill up with messages claiming there’s a problem with a delivery. These phishing scams often pretend to be from well-known shipping companies, using urgent wording to make you click links or download attachments.
The messages might mention unpaid fees or missing information about a recent order. In reality, those links often lead to fake pages that attempt to steal login or payment details.
Before responding, verify whether you actually ordered a package. If you’re unsure, visit the courier’s official website by typing its address manually, or check your order history with the retailer. Avoid opening attachments or links from unknown senders.
“Too Good to Be True” Deals: Gift Cards, Concert Tickets, and Luxury Items
Black Friday also brings a wave of “free gift card” giveaways, “exclusive” concert tickets, or luxury items offered for just a few dollars. These scams exploit excitement and urgency, encouraging users to act before thinking.
Such offers may ask for personal details, payment information “for verification,” or even ask you to share the link with friends. In most cases, the company behind the offer doesn’t exist. If the promotion lacks clear terms, brand information, or feels rushed, it’s best to skip it.
Spotting Red Flags
Although every scam appears different, most share a few common telltale traits:
- Urgency: “Only a few left” or “deal ends in seconds.”
- Poor writing: Typos or awkward phrasing.
- Unusual payments: Requests for direct bank transfers or cryptocurrency.
- Lack of transparency: Missing contact details or unclear refund policies.
A quick pause to double-check can make the difference between a safe purchase and a costly mistake.
Avast Scam Guardian: A Helpful Protection for Black Friday and Beyond
Black Friday’s excitement makes it easy to get swept up in the rush- clicking “buy now” before a deal disappears, skimming over URLs, or trusting a message that looks just real enough.
Avast Scam Guardian, built into Avast Free Antivirus, is designed to counter exactly that kind of fast-moving, high-pressure environment. Using advanced AI and continuous threat intelligence, it helps identify fraudulent websites, messages, and links in real time, before you’ve had a chance to fall for them.
Rather than relying solely on static blacklists or known scams, Scam Guardian features Web Guard, which utilizes AI tools to analyse the content of web pages, identifying hidden scams and helping you avoid falling into traps. into traps.
For example, when you open a page offering an unmissable discount or receive a “delivery notice” email, Web Guard quietly checks the website. If it detects anything suspicious like mismatched payment systems, suspicious redirects, etc, it immediately flags the risk, helping you decide whether to proceed. This intelligent, adaptive approach is especially valuable during shopping events like Black Friday, when cybercriminals flood social media and inboxes with temporary scam pages that vanish as soon as victims catch on.
Within Scam Guardian you can find Avast Assistant, which provides quick, contextual advice when something feels off. Unsure about a deal that seems “too good to be true”? You can check with the Assistant to see if similar scams have been reported, or get guidance on verifying a store’s legitimacy. Together, these tools help you stay one step ahead of evolving scams- allowing you to browse, click, and shop with greater awareness and confidence. With Scam Guardian active inside Avast Free Antivirus, your digital shopping experience gains an intelligent layer of defense that adapts as fast as scammers do. It doesn’t replace caution, but it helps enhance your judgment, making it easier to recognize deception and enjoy Black Friday deals without the hidden costs of a scam.
