Black Friday scam alert: A new CloudSEK investigation has uncovered a massive rise in online scam stores ahead of the global holiday shopping rush. With over 2,000 fake websites impersonating brands like Amazon, Samsung, Xiaomi, Ray-Ban, Jo Malone and more, shoppers face an unprecedented wave of digital fraud.
By The Morning News Informer | Published 27 Nov 2025
As Black Friday and Cyber Monday approach — the biggest shopping events of the year — millions of consumers turn to online stores in search of steep discounts. But alongside genuine deals, cybercriminals have launched one of the largest known waves of holiday-themed scam websites. According to a new report by CloudSEK, more than 2,000 fake online shops have been detected, all designed to mimic major global brands and steal sensitive user information.
The investigation reveals a highly coordinated criminal ecosystem that has industrialised online fraud during festive sales. Unlike isolated phishing attempts of the past, scammers today deploy entire clusters of interconnected storefronts supported by mass advertising, urgency tricks, and highly convincing templates.
The Rise of a Mass-Produced Fraud Ecosystem
CloudSEK’s digital risk monitoring team notes that the ongoing scam wave is significantly more sophisticated compared to previous years. The fake stores use high-quality design templates, recycled festive layouts, countdown timers, fake trust badges, and pop-ups simulating recent purchases. These techniques generate a sense of trust and urgency — pushing unsuspecting shoppers to complete their purchases quickly.
Once a user enters payment information, the details are routed through attacker-controlled gateways. Not only do victims lose money, but they also unknowingly expose personal data that could later be used for identity theft, SIM swap attacks, or unauthorized transactions.
CloudSEK researchers have identified the presence of phishing scripts, malicious redirects, and data-harvesting mechanisms on several of these websites. Many scam stores even use previous malware delivery infrastructure — showing a direct link to older cybercrime networks.
Two Major Scam Clusters Identified
The investigation highlights two primary scam clusters dominating the 2025 holiday season:
Cluster 1: Amazon-Themed Typosquatted Domains
This cluster includes more than 750 fake storefronts — with over 170 “Amazon-like” domains impersonating the retail giant. These sites rely on common user errors such as misspellings of “amazon,” for example:
- amaz0n-offers.shop
- amzon-blackfriday.com
- amaazon-discount.store
All websites under this cluster share identical festive banners, holiday colours, and misleading pop-ups like:
- “Only 3 items left!”
- “2,150 people purchased this in the last hour”
- “Flash sale ends in 02:15:43” (fake timers)
These stores create strong social proof even though real shoppers and orders do not exist. The underlying script triggers artificial notifications every few seconds to manipulate buyers emotionally.
Cluster 2: Over 1,000 Fake Brand Stores Using the .shop Extension
This second and even larger cluster spans more than 1,000 active scam domains, many of which impersonate:
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- Samsung
- Ray-Ban
- Jo Malone
- Xiaomi
- Dyson
- Nike and Adidas
These websites use a standardised Black Friday / Cyber Monday template, complete with:
- giant “80% OFF ONLY TODAY!” banners
- spoofed product reviews
- fake warranty badges
- checkout pages redirecting to attacker-owned gateways
The consistent template across hundreds of domains indicates that criminals are using a ready-made phishing kit — allowing them to launch new stores in minutes.
How These Scam Stores Attract Victims
According to CloudSEK, the fraudsters aggressively promote these websites using:
- Short-lived social media advertisements on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok
- Search engine manipulation (SEO poisoning)
- WhatsApp, Telegram broadcast groups
- Spoofed promotional emails mimicking brand newsletters
These campaigns target consumers looking for holiday deals — making it easy for them to accidentally land on a fake shop instead of the official brand website.
CloudSEK’s analysis estimates that each fraudulent domain attracts:
• 500–2,000 visitors within hours
* 3%–8% conversion rate due to aggressive pressure tactics
This means scammers could steal between $2,000 and $12,000 per fake store before authorities detect and take down the domain.
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Expert Warning: Industrial-Scale Online Fraud Is the New Normal
Security researcher Ibrahim Saify from CloudSEK notes:
“This is no longer a case of isolated scams. We are witnessing industrial-scale fraud operations using automated tools, replicating brand assets, and deploying coordinated scam clusters. Without swift action, losses this holiday season may reach unprecedented levels.”
He warns that victims may face long-term consequences beyond monetary loss. Poor data handling on these fraudulent sites means stolen information could be resold on the dark web for months or years.
Meanwhile, legitimate brands suffer too:
- Loss of consumer trust
- Increased customer support burden
- Negative publicity
- Revenue loss due to diverted traffic
Signs That a Website is Fake — What Shoppers Must Watch For
CloudSEK urges consumers to stay alert and look for the following red flags:
- Massive discounts of 70–90% on premium products
- Misspelled URLs or unusual domain extensions
- Fake trust seals that don’t link to real certifying pages
- Checkout pages that redirect to unfamiliar payment gateways
- Generic layouts duplicated across multiple “brand” store websites
- No customer care number or unverifiable contact information
- Too-good-to-be-true offers such as “iPhone 16 at 90% off!”
The safest approach is to shop only through:
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- Official brand websites
- Verified apps
- Reputed e-commerce platforms
How Retailers Can Protect Themselves
CloudSEK advises companies — especially in electronics, lifestyle, and fashion — to strengthen their cybersecurity posture during the holiday season. Recommended steps include:
- Monitoring new domain registrations closely
- Tracking impersonation attempts
- Setting up rapid takedown mechanisms to remove fake stores
- Implementing advanced fraud detection tools
- Educating customers through official social media channels
Retailers must also collaborate with hosting providers, advertising networks, and law enforcement agencies to dismantle scam operations quickly.
Regulators Urged to Step In
CloudSEK’s report calls for policymakers and cybersecurity watchdogs to adopt a more proactive approach. Key recommendations include:
- Increased monitoring of high-risk hosting networks
- Stricter regulations on misleading ads
- Public-awareness campaigns on seasonal scams
- Cross-border intelligence sharing to track phishing clusters
The full CloudSEK report reportedly includes detailed threat indicators, phishing signatures, and behavioural patterns that can help authorities identify malicious infrastructure.
How to Stay Safe While Shopping This Black Friday
Here are practical steps consumers can take to avoid falling victim to scam websites:
- Double-check URLs before entering payment details
- Avoid deals shared through random WhatsApp groups
- Use credit cards instead of debit cards for better fraud protection
- Look for verified social media handles before clicking links
- Ignore unfamiliar ads offering unrealistic discounts
- Never save card details on untrusted websites
Security experts also recommend enabling multi-factor authentication for online accounts and monitoring bank statements during the holiday season.
Conclusion
The surge of more than 2,000 fake Black Friday-themed websites is a stark reminder of how sophisticated and large-scale online fraud has become. As scammers mimic Amazon, Samsung, and dozens of other global brands, consumers need to be more vigilant than ever. CloudSEK’s research underscores the growing threat posed by industrialised scam networks capable of deceiving thousands of shoppers in a short time.
This holiday season, shoppers must stay alert, avoid suspicious deals, and rely only on trusted brand channels to ensure a safe online shopping experience.
Stay safe — and shop smart.
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