$12.5B
FTC-reported fraud losses in 2024
FTC says consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024.
cyber monday phishing email scam
Phishing emails disguised as Cyber Monday deal alerts from major retailers contain malicious links that steal login credentials and payment information.
“holiday shopping scam”
→ 0%Key indicators
Usually targetsOnline shoppers
Often hitsFreelancers and contractors
Common regionUnited States
Last updated2026-04-04
Estimated impact
$960
median reported loss
Typical range$60 – $6.0K
Recovery rate~15%
Scam breakdown
1
Scammers send millions of emails timed to Cyber Monday, spoofing major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target with exclusive deal offers.
2
Clicking the link leads to a phishing page that captures the victim's retailer account credentials, payment details, or installs malware.
3
Stolen credentials are used to make purchases on the real retailer accounts or are sold in bulk on dark web forums.
What to do first
Navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app instead of clicking email links.
Related terms
Cyber Monday email scamfake retailer deal emailHoliday shopping scamsEmailStableOnline shoppersAdultsOffice workersFreelancers and contractorsSmall business ownersPayroll, HR, and finance teamsUnited StatesCanadaAustraliaCyber Monday email scamfake retailer deal email
Real-world example
How this scam plays out in practice
Based on reported patterns. Names and details are illustrative.
The setup
Mark, 34, a online shoppers, encountered what appeared to be a legitimate holiday shopping scams situation while using Email. Scammers send millions of emails timed to Cyber Monday, spoofing major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target with exclusive deal offers.
Step 2
What happened next was calculated: Clicking the link leads to a phishing page that captures the victim's retailer account credentials, payment details, or installs malware.
Step 3
The pressure escalated quickly: Stolen credentials are used to make purchases on the real retailer accounts or are sold in bulk on dark web forums.
The outcome
Mark realized something was wrong when email sender address does not match the retailer's official domain. By that point, significant damage had already been done — money sent, personal information shared, or trust exploited.
The lesson
Navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app instead of clicking email links. Mark's experience shows why email sender address does not match the retailer's official domain and deal requires immediate action with a countdown timer creating false urgency are the clearest early warning signs.
How to identify it
- Email sender address does not match the retailer's official domain
- Deal requires immediate action with a countdown timer creating false urgency
- Link destination URL does not match the retailer's website when hovered over
- Pause before paying, clicking, or sharing information. Scammers rely on speed.
- Verify the sender, company, or agency using a phone number or website you already know is legitimate.
- Treat secrecy, urgency, and off-platform payment requests as strong scam signals.
What to do now
- ✓Navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app instead of clicking email links.
- ✓Check the sender's email address carefully for misspellings or non-standard domains.
- ✓Enable two-factor authentication on all shopping accounts before the holiday season.
What to save before reporting
- ✓Save the message, profile, phone number, email, or URL that was used.
- ✓Keep payment confirmations, receipts, and account alerts before you dispute or delete anything.
- ✓Write down the timeline while the details are still fresh.
- ✓Keep the full sender address, domain, attachments, and—if possible—the raw email headers.
How big is this problem
You are not alone — this scam affects millions of people.
These numbers come from government agencies and official reports. If you have been affected, know that this is a widespread problem — not something that only happens to careless people.
FTC 2024 fraud losses
Imposters
Most common FTC fraud category in 2024
FTC says imposter scams remained the most commonly reported fraud category in 2024.
History and evolution
- This scam family tends to persist because the social-engineering pressure works even when the exact scripts, platforms, and payment methods change.
- The specific packaging evolves over time, but the core pattern usually stays the same: create urgency, control the channel, and push action before verification.
- Proofpoint reported that retail-themed phishing emails increased 237% during the 2024 Cyber Monday week compared to normal email volumes.
Recovery and follow-up
- ✓Save the messages, receipts, account alerts, and transaction details before you block or delete anything.
- ✓Report the scam through the official platform or government channel that best matches where it happened.
- ✓Navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app instead of clicking email links.
- ✓Check the sender's email address carefully for misspellings or non-standard domains.
- ✓Enable two-factor authentication on all shopping accounts before the holiday season.
Why this pattern keeps working
Even when the story changes, most scams still use the same pressure pattern: urgency, authority, and a request to move money or data fast.
Proofpoint reported that retail-themed phishing emails increased 237% during the 2024 Cyber Monday week compared to normal email volumes.
Proofpoint Holiday Threat Report 2024
Where to report it
If you have been targeted by this scam, reporting it helps authorities track the pattern and protect others. United States has dedicated agencies that handle fraud reports.
ReportFraud.gov
Federal Trade Commission
Central U.S. consumer fraud reporting portal.
File an IC3 complaint
FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
FBI portal for internet-enabled crime reports.
Start identity theft recovery
IdentityTheft.gov
Official U.S. identity theft recovery plan builder.
Explore further
Understand the bigger picture
Who is most at risk
Who this scam targets
Primary targets
Online shoppers, Adults, Office workers
Geographic concentration
United States, Canada, Australia
Primary channel
Email — Holiday shopping scams
Why this group is vulnerable
Online shoppers are particularly vulnerable because this scam exploits trust in familiar brands, authority figures, and time-sensitive decisions. The ongoing nature of reports suggests that awareness among this demographic remains low.
Sources and methodology
How we verify this information
OpenScam tracks scam patterns using a combination of government consumer protection databases (FTC, IC3, Action Fraud), platform-specific fraud reports, and verified consumer complaint data. Each entry is cross-referenced against at least two independent sources before publication.
Severity ratings are based on financial impact potential, reversibility of damage, and volume of reports across multiple reporting channels. Trend velocity reflects the rate of change in report volume over the most recent 90-day window.
This page was last verified on 2026-04-04. Red flags, recovery steps, and reporting resources are reviewed quarterly against current agency guidance.
Evidence and indicators
- Proofpoint reported that retail-themed phishing emails increased 237% during the 2024 Cyber Monday week compared to normal email volumes.
Source notes
- Proofpoint Holiday Threat Report 2024
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about cyber monday phishing email scam
How does the cyber monday phishing email scam work?+
Scammers send millions of emails timed to Cyber Monday, spoofing major retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target with exclusive deal offers. Clicking the link leads to a phishing page that captures the victim's retailer account credentials, payment details, or installs malware. Stolen credentials are used to make purchases on the real retailer accounts or are sold in bulk on dark web forums.
What are the warning signs of cyber monday phishing email scam?+
Email sender address does not match the retailer's official domain Deal requires immediate action with a countdown timer creating false urgency Link destination URL does not match the retailer's website when hovered over
What should I do if I encounter cyber monday phishing email scam?+
Navigate directly to the retailer's official website or app instead of clicking email links. Check the sender's email address carefully for misspellings or non-standard domains. Enable two-factor authentication on all shopping accounts before the holiday season.
Who is most at risk for cyber monday phishing email scam?+
This scam primarily targets Online shoppers, Adults, Office workers. It is most commonly reported in United States, Canada, Australia and typically appears on Email.
Is cyber monday phishing email scam still active?+
cyber monday phishing email scam is currently on our watch list. It has been reported across US, CA, AU. Last updated 2026-04-04.
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Help someone avoid this scam.
Scammers succeed because people do not talk about it. If you or someone you know has been affected, there is no shame in it — it happens to millions of people every year. Share this page with friends and family so they know what to look for.