THE PUBLIC HAS been warned to be “extra vigilant” today and to not be tricked by “too good to be true” scams.

Today is Black Friday when retailers will be dropping their prices and the sales will continue into Cyber Monday, the online equivalent of Black Friday.

Close to 40% of people are expected to make a purchase in the sales and the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) has urged consumers to stop and think before rushing into a purchase.

It is also warning consumers to be especially wary of ads on social media, as scammers are using convincing clones of trusted websites and fake local shops to trick shoppers.

Cloned sites

To coincide with the Black Friday sales, the CCPC released a collection of case studies from recent scams.

One such incident saw a consumer pay €125 for an armchair after clicking on an advert on a leading social media platform.

He thought he was directed to the website of a popular furniture retailer but had actually been taken to a cloned website.

The CCPC is urging people to make purchases through the retailer’s official website or app rather than clicking on a social media link. 

Consumers are also reminded that the information and imagery on websites can be fabricated and you should always take time to check sites like Trustpilot for independent reviews. 

One case study referenced by the CCPC involved a consumer paying €320 for shelving from a furniture business he found on social media.

When the item didn’t arrive and messages weren’t responded to, the consumer discovered online reviews from others which pointed to the same experiences.

In hindsight, the consumer said he would have suspected a scam sooner if he had checked the online reviews before he made the transaction.

The CCPC also warns that scammers often create urgency to pressure quick decisions and if something feels off or feels too good to be true, consumers should stop and think before engaging further.  

Consumers should also be wary of unusually large discounts, unfamiliar websites, recently created social media profiles, and exclusively five-star reviews. 

You should also use a credit or debit card, or trusted payment provider such as Pay Pal, rather than a direct bank transfer. 

“Do your research, take your time, and don’t take risks, no matter how tempting the deal,” advised the CCPC.

If you think you have been scammed, you should contact your bank or payment provider immediately.

You may also need to freeze your card to prevent further money being taken.

Meanwhile, An Garda Síochána is responsible for pursuing scam operators and scams can be reported to your local garda station.

Other research carried out by the CCPC ahead of Black Friday revealed that 63% of people do not trust that the pre-sale prices or percentage discount displayed during sales are accurate.

The research also showed that 28% are likely to be swayed by a recommendation from a social media influencer – this climbed to 40% among those aged 15 to 24.

Elsewhere, Mick Moran, the CEO of the Irish Internet Hotline, the national center for reporting illegal online content, warned customers there will be a large amount of online scams occurring over the  weekend.

He too advised people to only shop from brands they know and trust.

In particular, he said people should stay away from buying products posted on social media platforms.

Counterfeit goods

Bank of Ireland has also issued a warning to consumers in the run-up to Black Friday.

When compared to the final six months of 2024, there’s been a 47% rise in purchase scam cases with Bank of Ireland in the first six months of 2025.

Purchase scams see fraudsters tricking people into buying goods or services which are fake or don’t exist.

Bank of Ireland warned that fraudsters “redouble their efforts to target people” over Black Friday and up to Christmas.

Revenue has also warned consumers to be wary of purchase scams and counterfeit goods amid the Black Friday sales.

If items are suspected of infringing intellectual property rights, they will be detained by Revenue and checked with the rights holder.

A Revenue spokesperson added that consumers should be aware that counterfeit products are often of inferior quality and, in some cases, unsafe.