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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesCyber Monday deals are not automatically safe. During the 2024 Cyber Five (Thanksgiving, November 28, through Cyber Monday, December 2), TransUnion found suspected digital fraud in 4.2% of attempted U.S. e-commerce transactions, compared with 4.6% worldwide. Treat every urgent discount, delivery message and login request as untrusted until you verify it independently.
Why Cyber Monday deserves extra caution
The Thanksgiving-to-Cyber-Monday period compresses shopping deadlines, promotions and transaction volume. That creates ideal conditions for criminals to impersonate retailers, delivery companies, banks and customer-service agents.
The Federal Trade Commission reported $12.5 billion in consumer fraud losses for 2024 in a 2025 release. Online-shopping problems were the second most commonly reported fraud category. The figure covers reported consumer losses, while TransUnion’s 4.2% and 4.6% figures measure suspected fraud attempts; they are different measures and should not be treated as the same rate.
The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s 2025 holiday advisory says fraud costs consumers and financial institutions tens of billions of dollars each year and warns that artificial intelligence is making impersonation and outreach more convincing.
#1 Best Overall
“Security keys are the strongest method of two-factor authentication because they don’t use credentials that hackers can steal.”
Federal Trade Commission consumer advice
How Cyber Monday scams reach shoppers
| Channel or scam | Typical requested action | Information or asset targeted | Why recovery can be difficult |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloned retailer website or app | Buy an unusually cheap item or sign in | Card details, address and account password | Payment data may be captured immediately, and the site can disappear after checkout |
| Phishing email | Click a “limited-time” deal, refund or account-warning link | Password, card number or one-time verification code | Stolen credentials can be reused later for account takeover |
| Fake delivery text | Pay a small fee or “confirm” an address through a link | Card details, login credentials or identity data | The message arrives when many legitimate packages are in transit, making the fraud harder to notice |
| Social-media advertisement | Open a storefront, claim a giveaway or pay through a promoted offer | Payment information and contact details | The ad can vanish, leaving limited seller information |
| Search-result impersonation | Call a fake support number or visit a look-alike domain | Payment, password or remote-access details | Search placement does not prove that a seller or support number is genuine |
| Gift-card fraud | Buy cards and send the numbers or photographs | Gift-card value and sometimes account details | Once the code is shared, the value may be spent quickly and is often difficult to reverse |
| Non-delivery scam | Pay for goods that never arrive | Payment and personal information | You may need evidence of the purchase and seller communications to dispute the charge |
| Malicious download | Install a “shipping tool,” coupon, invoice or browser extension | Shopping-device access, passwords and files | Compromised software can expose multiple accounts, not just one purchase |
How to check a Cyber Monday deal before paying
1. Start from a known retailer address
Type the retailer’s known domain yourself or open its official app. Do not use an unsolicited email, text or social-media link as your starting point. A padlock or HTTPS connection only encrypts the connection; it does not prove that the seller is legitimate.
2. Confirm who is actually selling
Before entering payment details, check the seller’s legal or business name, physical contact information, privacy terms, refund rules and delivery promises. Marketplace listings require extra care because the marketplace brand may not be the merchant fulfilling the order. Be cautious when the seller provides only a contact form, uses a mismatched domain or promises a price that is implausible even during a major sale.
3. Inspect the checkout and payment request
- Reject a checkout that demands a gift card, cryptocurrency, wire transfer or a payment through an unrelated person.
- Never provide a one-time verification code to someone who contacted you unexpectedly. A legitimate support representative should not need you to read that code aloud.
- Do not install software to receive a coupon, resolve a delivery problem or complete a payment.
- Save the order confirmation, seller name, promised delivery date and return terms.
Protect your shopping, email and financial accounts
Use a different long password for every account
Reuse allows one stolen shopping password to unlock email, banking or payment accounts. A password manager can generate and store unique passwords, leaving you to remember one strong master password. Secure the manager itself with multifactor authentication where available.
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Enable MFA first for email, banks, card portals and shopping accounts. Email deserves priority because it can be used to reset other passwords. Authenticator apps and hardware security keys are generally safer than relying on a code sent by text, although any available MFA is better than no second factor.
A FIDO security key is a physical option for accounts that support FIDO or WebAuthn. Check whether the account accepts USB, NFC or a platform passkey before buying; compatibility varies by device, browser and service. Keep a backup sign-in method stored safely in case the key is lost.
Update the devices used for shopping
Install current operating-system, browser and security-software updates before entering payment information. Updates close known weaknesses that malicious advertisements, downloads or compromised sites may exploit. Use a private, trusted connection for checkout rather than entering card or bank details over public Wi-Fi.
Choose payment methods that limit damage
Use a payment method with strong dispute protections and keep the receipt. Many shoppers choose a credit card because a fraudulent charge does not immediately remove money from a checking account, but issuer rules and protections vary. Debit cards draw directly from a bank account, so contact the issuer immediately when a debit transaction is unauthorized. Do not assume a payment app, gift card or bank transfer offers the same recovery options as a card purchase.
Turn on transaction alerts, review card and bank statements during the holiday period, and check for small unfamiliar charges as well as large ones. A small test charge can precede a larger attempt. Contact the card issuer or bank through the number on your card or statement, not a number in a suspicious message.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do if you clicked, paid or shared information
- Stop interacting with the message or site. Close the page and do not download anything else or answer follow-up calls.
- Contact the payment provider quickly. Ask the card issuer or bank to block or replace the account number and dispute unauthorized transactions. For a gift card, contact the issuer immediately and retain the receipt and card number.
- Change exposed passwords. Start with the affected account and then change any account where that password was reused. Use new, unique passwords rather than minor variations.
- Secure the email account. Review forwarding rules, recovery addresses, signed-in sessions and recent login activity. Remove anything you did not create.
- Check the device. Uninstall suspicious software or extensions, run current security scans and apply updates. If you entered credentials on a compromised device, change them from a separate trusted device.
- Document and report. Save receipts, messages, URLs, screenshots and case numbers. Report the seller or message to the relevant platform and to the appropriate government fraud-reporting service.
A short Cyber Monday safety checklist
- Navigate to the retailer by typing its known domain or using its official app.
- Verify the seller’s identity, contact information, refund policy and delivery promise.
- Use a unique password generated and stored by a password manager.
- Enable MFA on email, bank, card and shopping accounts.
- Consider a compatible FIDO security key for accounts that support FIDO or WebAuthn.
- Update the operating system, browser and security software before shopping.
- Avoid entering payment details on public Wi-Fi.
- Prefer payment methods with strong dispute protections and save receipts.
- Monitor statements and alerts throughout the holiday season.
- Never share an unexpected one-time code.
Cyber Monday can be a legitimate opportunity to save, but the discount is not worth surrendering an account or payment details. Independent verification, unique credentials, MFA and rapid monitoring address the main ways holiday shopping scams turn urgency into financial loss.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
