Black Friday is Friday Nov. 29, and while you are digging into your wallet to pay for Black Friday deals, scammers are looking to dive into your pockets as well.
Informational gambling website Bonus is warning that holiday scams run the gamut from counterfeiting to elaborate phishing schemes designed to separate you from your money, while also extracting your personal information.
Here's the scams Bonus says you need to be mindful of during the holiday shopping season.
What are Black Friday scams?
Bonus warned of five increasingly sophisticated Black Friday and Cyber Monday scams: counterfeit/fake products; delivery scams; email and text phishing scams; false winning notifications; and fake customer service scams.
"Some third-party sellers on Amazon can create listings for counterfeit or low-quality products, especially during high-traffic sale events like Prime Day," read an email from Bonus. "While these products may look like the real thing, they are often made cheaply and lack proper certifications and warranties.
"To spot this early, start by being cautious of items listed at very low prices or from unknown brands, and always check a seller's rating."
Bonus also warned of a particular scam targeting home deliveries.
"Scammers may send fake delivery failure notifications, claiming that your package could not be delivered," read Bonus' advice. "This message will then ask you to click a link and reschedule delivery or confirm your address.
"These links can lead to phishing sites or malware downloads; all legitimate delivery notifications will come from the retailer's official email or the app."
The fake customer service scam also targets Amazon shoppers in an effort to steal your personal identification.
"These scams typically involve fraudsters posing as Amazon representatives to steal personal information, money, or even remote access to devices," read Bonus' e-mail. "So-called 'Amazon customer service agents' contact you through phone calls, emails, or chat, and often claim there's an issue with your order or ask you to verify your account information.
"It is important to know that Amazon customer support will never ask for your personal details, password, or payment information."
Bonus also warns the not-new "you're a winner" and "claim free prize" scams will be rebooted with advanced technology this holiday shipping season to further scam you out of your money and personal identification.
"Genuine promotions from retailers like Walmart or eBay never require payment to claim prizes," read Bonus' advice. "Always be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true, especially if you are asked for an upfront payment or additional personal information."
Damon C. Williams is a Philadelphia-based journalist reporting on trending topics across the Mid-Atlantic Region.