Purchase scams cost UK shoppers £118.1m last year: how to spot a fake Black Friday seller

Shoppers lost £118.1 million to purchase scams in 2025, up 20% on £98.7 million the year before. That's from UK Finance's Annual Fraud Report, which counts what banks see. There were 175,809 cases, and purchase scams made up 71% of all scams where the victim was tricked into sending a bank transfer. With Black Friday on 27 November 2026, the adverts and "last chance" posts are already ramping up.

How a purchase scam works

You pay for something that never arrives. UK Finance says these scams usually start on an online platform, such as an auction site or social media. The "seller" advertises a phone, a games console, a car, concert tickets or a holiday let at a low price. Then they talk you into paying by bank transfer instead of using the site's own checkout. Once the money's gone, so is the seller.

Where UK Finance could trace the source, 66% of bank-transfer scams began online. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) adds that fake shops copy real logos and products, often on web addresses that look like the real thing.

UK Finance says purchase scams have the lowest average loss of the eight kinds of bank-transfer scam it tracks, but far more cases than any other.

A worked example

Say you see a games console on a social media post for £350, well under the shop price. The seller says PayPal is "down" and asks for a bank transfer. You pay. Nothing arrives.

• If you paid by bank transfer: since 7 October 2024, banks must refund most victims of these scams, up to £85,000. You have 13 months from the payment to claim, and the bank can take an optional £100 excess. So you could get £250 back, or the full £350 if your bank doesn't use the excess. The Payment Systems Regulator says you can expect the money within five business days of claiming, or up to 35 if the bank needs more information.
• If you'd paid by credit card: for a single item over £100 and up to £30,000, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act makes the card provider jointly responsible with the seller, so you can claim the whole £350 from them.
• If you'd paid by debit card: you can ask your bank for a chargeback. The NCSC describes it as a voluntary scheme, so it's not guaranteed.

Banks can refuse if you were grossly negligent, but the regulator says that's a high bar, and it doesn't apply to vulnerable customers.

How to spot a fake seller

• The price is far below every other shop, for something in short supply.
• They push you off the platform, to WhatsApp, email or a "friend's" account.
• They give a reason the normal payment won't work.
• The account or shop is new, has no history, or uses a web address that's one letter off the real brand.
• There's a countdown or "only 2 left" pressure to rush you into paying.

What to do now

1. Go to the shop yourself. Type the address you know, or search for the shop and read past the top result, as the NCSC suggests. Don't click through from an advert or a message.
2. Pay by credit card where you can. For PayPal, Apple Pay or Google Pay, check their terms for what's covered.
3. Give only what's needed. Use guest checkout, and don't let the shop or your browser save your card.
4. Lock your accounts. Use a strong, different password for shopping and email accounts, and turn on 2-step verification.
5. Report what you see. Forward scam texts to 7726, emails to [email protected], and scam websites to the NCSC. Report scam adverts to the Advertising Standards Authority.

If you've been caught

Call your bank straight away on the number on the back of your card. Then report it to Report Fraud at reportfraud.police.uk or on 0300 123 2040. Report Fraud replaced Action Fraud on 4 December 2025, and the phone number stayed the same. In Scotland, call Police Scotland on 101.

Questions

I paid through PayPal. What then? The bank-transfer refund rules cover UK bank transfers, not PayPal. PayPal has its own dispute process: Citizens Advice says you have 180 days from when you paid to open a dispute.

What if the bank says no? Ask for its final response in writing, then you can take your complaint to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Ways to save, safely

The safest Black Friday bargain is one from a shop you already know. Open the shop's page on Voucher Magpie and click through from there, so you land on the real site. A password manager such as NordPass makes it easier to use a strong, different password for every shop, as the NCSC advises. We've also written about fake shops that copy real brands, and the Marketplace and Vinted tricks to watch for.

When you shop through Voucher Magpie, part of the commission the shop pays us goes to the charity or club you pick. You pay the same price.

Sources: UK Finance, Annual Fraud Report 2026, 15 Jun 2026, NCSC, shopping online securely, 8 Nov 2026, NCSC, report a scam website, 8 Nov 2026, Payment Systems Regulator, reimbursement protections, 8 Nov 2026, Payment Systems Regulator, APP scams, 8 Nov 2026, Citizens Advice, paid by card or PayPal, 8 Nov 2026, GOV.UK, Report Fraud, 8 Nov 2026