URGENT ALERT: As Black Friday approaches, shoppers are being warned about a dangerous parcel scam that could drain up to £700 from their bank accounts. Retail experts are raising alarms about fraudsters exploiting the shopping frenzy, with significant financial implications for unsuspecting buyers.
Jinesh Vohra, CEO of Sprive, an app designed to assist users in earning cash rewards towards mortgage payments, has issued a critical warning. “Black Friday marks the start of a busy period for fraudsters,” Vohra stated. This warning follows a report from Action Fraud, revealing that UK shoppers lost a staggering £11.5 million to online scams between November 2023 and January 2024, with victims losing an average of £695 each.
Scammers are employing deceptive tactics, particularly counterfeit delivery messages claiming issues with parcel shipments. These messages often contain links that redirect victims to fraudulent sites designed to harvest personal and banking information. “Always double-check the website address,” Vohra advises, emphasizing the importance of vigilance. “Look out for spelling errors or unusual logos. If you’ve clicked through from an ad or social media post, it’s safer to go directly to the retailer’s official website.”
Moreover, Stuart Morris, chief technology and product officer at SmartSearch, highlighted that the period surrounding Black Friday and Cyber Monday has become a “peak fraud season.” He explained, “For cybercriminals, this period offers the perfect storm: millions of consumers rushing to grab deals and businesses scrambling to process unprecedented volumes of transactions.” Last year, British shoppers spent over £9 billion during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, with transaction volumes peaking at an astonishing 400 per second.
Data from Auction Fraud indicates that online scams are on the rise, with losses increasing from £10.6 million the previous year to £11.5 million this past season. In the first half of 2025, over 80,000 individuals were deceived by purchase scams, while victims of investment scams reported average losses of £15,000.
Morris cautioned that these scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated. “This isn’t crude hacking but sophisticated social engineering,” he warned. “Fake delivery texts, cloned websites, and ‘your order has shipped’ scams trick victims into handing over their details or paying for goods that never arrive.” The greatest threat, according to Morris, lies in Authorised Push Payment (APP) fraud, where victims are misled into sending money themselves, leading to permanent losses for over a third of victims.
As Black Friday draws near, consumers are urged to stay alert and take proactive measures to protect themselves from these scams. Experts recommend double-checking all communications related to purchases and being wary of any unsolicited messages regarding orders or deliveries.
The landscape of online shopping is rapidly changing, and with it, the tactics of fraudsters. Shoppers must remain informed and vigilant to safeguard their finances during this high-stakes shopping season. Share this urgent alert to help others stay safe while shopping this Black Friday!
