JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – As Missourians prepare for the year’s biggest shopping weekend, Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is warning consumers to stay alert for scams that surge around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. With online sales, promotional emails, and limited-time deals at an all-time high, bad actors often use this period to target shoppers with fake websites, phishing links, and misleading advertisements.

“Criminals know families are searching for the best deals of the season,” Attorney General Hanaway said. “Our job is to protect Missourians from deceptive practices and to make sure scammers don’t turn the holidays into an opportunity to steal your money, data, or identity. I want every Missourian to shop confidently and safely this weekend.”

Drawing from patterns observed in previous years, Attorney General Hanaway’s Consumer Protection Section outlined several common red flags and key tips for consumers:

Tips for Black Friday

• Beware of unexpected emails offering “exclusive” deals that ask for personal information or contain suspicious links; these could deploy malware or steal data.
• Some retailers may artificially raise prices ahead of Black Friday to create the illusion of a deep discount. Shoppers should research average prices in advance.
• Many stores suspend price-matching policies between Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
• Read the fine print in advertisements carefully; certain promotions are limited by time, brand, or quantity.

Tips for Cyber Monday

• Avoid websites with odd spellings or hyphens that mimic legitimate retailers; these are common indicators of scams.
• Be wary of online deals that seem too good to be true. If it looks too good to be true, it likely is.
• Watch out for fake “delivery failure” or “order confirmation” emails for items you never ordered; these often attempt to harvest personal information.
• Use credit cards instead of debit cards when shopping online, as they offer stronger fraud protection.
• Make sure you use strong, unique passwords for payment accounts.

Attorney General Hanaway emphasized her Office’s commitment to safeguarding consumers year-round, but especially during high-risk shopping periods.

“Our Consumer Protection team stands ready to help anyone who believes they’ve been targeted or harmed by a scam,” Attorney General Hanaway said. “Missourians should never hesitate to reach out. We’re here to help protect you.”

Missourians who believe they have encountered a scam or fraudulent charge should contact the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222 or file a complaint online at ago.mo.gov.