Technologies
2022 Black Friday: Make Sure You Avoid All the Elaborate Scams
Scammers don’t take a break during the holidays. Learn what to watch for to protect yourself.
This story is part of Gift Guide, our year-round collection of the best gift ideas.
Black Friday arrives the day after Thanksgiving — which is Nov. 25 this year. It’ll be a day filled with deals on items like headphones and TVs, but with all that potential money flowing from customers to stores, cybercriminals are unfortunately looking to steal some of it.
Scammers work year round, but they turn up their efforts during the high-spending holiday season to exploit the spirit of giving.
The scams range far and wide — as retailers like Amazon, Best Buy and Walmart roll out deals over the holidays, fraudsters create elaborate websites to trick you into spending money on products you’ll never receive. You may receive text messages or emails claiming you’re eligible for a refund for an item you never purchased, just so thieves can get your credit card information. You might even be enticed into donating to a charity that provides homes for abandoned puppies — only to find out it doesn’t actually exist.
Scams come in all shapes and sizes, but there are always red flags to help spot them. Here’s what you need to know about Black Friday scams and how to avoid becoming a victim this holiday season.
For more about security and privacy this holiday season, check out how to protect yourself from identity theft, how to protect your phone app privacy, and the most common cryptocurrency scams.
Fake websites and fraudulent apps go ‘phishing’
In a phishing scheme, the goal is for hackers to get their hands on your personal information, like your credit card number, social security or account password. Pretending to be a large retail corporation, the fraudsters send out an official-looking email or text message, usually with a link to a fraudulent website designed to look just like a legitimate site.
Researchers at security firm Avanan discovered that hackers were sending out spoofed Amazon order notification emails. The email resembled your run-of-the-mill order confirmation, except that the order is false and the charge is significant.
Naturally, if you believe you’re being charged for a substantial amount, you would want to reach out to Amazon. But in this instance, if you use the link in the phishing email to get in contact, you’ll be redirected to a fake Amazon webpage with a false phone number to dial. If you call, the fraudsters won’t initially pick up, but they’ll soon call back, asking you to provide your card number, expiration date and CVV to «cancel the order.» And just like that, they’ve got your information.
These types of attacks are commonplace throughout the year, but expect a surge in messages claiming to be from Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target or other large retailers during the holidays.
If you receive an email asking you to update your payment method or requesting other personal information, contact the company’s help desk to make sure the email is legit before you do anything else.
Other ways to identify a phishing email, according to the Federal Trade Commission and StaySafeOnline.org, include:
- The sender’s email address looks almost right but contains extra characters or misspellings.
- There are misspellings or bad grammar either in the subject line or anywhere in the body.
- They address you with generic terms («Mr.» or «Ms.» or «Dear Customer») instead of by name.
- The message warns that you need to take immediate action and asks you to click a link and enter personal details, especially payment information.
- The messages promise a refund, coupons or other freebies.
- The company logo in the email looks low-quality or just plain wrong.
Credit card skimming goes all-digital
You’ve seen it in movies. A hacker places an object over a card reader, disguised to look like part of the ATM, and then waits for people to swipe their cards. A day or week later, the thief takes the object — known as a skimmer — back and collects the mountain of stolen card information stored inside, which they can then use to make purchases, withdraw money and more.
Instead of using physical hardware to steal payment card numbers, hackers can insert malicious code directly on a website to do the same thing as traditional skimming, but with online payment information instead.
Regarding e-skimming incidents — sometimes called Magecart attacks after the name of the software used — Tim Mackey, principal security strategist for Synopsis, a digital security company, warns, «There isn’t an obvious way for the average person to be able to identify if or when a website has been compromised. The only potential tell-tale sign might be that the website itself doesn’t quite look ‘right.'»
Mackey suggests a few strategies you can can use to protect yourself:
- Don’t save your credit card information on retail sites.
- If possible use a third-party payment method like Apple Pay, Google Wallet or PayPal.
- Enable purchase alerts on all your credit cards.
- Disable international purchases on all credit cards.
- Only make purchases over your home network or cellular network, never on a public Wi-Fi where your payment could be intercepted.
Avoid the ‘Secret Sister’ gift exchange — it’s a pyramid scheme
Originating on Facebook, this sketchy gift exchange among internet strangers plays off the popular workplace practice of «Secret Santa,» a game where each person in a group buys a present for one other randomly selected group member, without the gift-giver revealing their identity.
Instead, in Secret Sister, it’s a pyramid scheme dressed up in holiday clothes, according to the Better Business Bureau. The «Secret Sister» exchange invitation promises you’ll receive about $360 worth of gifts after purchasing and mailing a $10 gift for someone else. A variation includes swapping bottles of wine. And there’s even «Secret Santa Dog,» in which you gift money to a «secret dog.»
Unfortunately, bad math hasn’t stopped this scam from resurfacing year after year. If you fall for it, you’ll probably be out 10 bucks when you don’t receive any gifts in return. You might lose personal details too, because the scam involves sending your name, email address and phone number to people you’ve never met in person.
The Better Business Bureau recommends you deal with any request to become a Secret Sister by ignoring it — do not give your personal details to online strangers. You can also report the invitation to Facebook or whichever social network you were approached on.
Your donations might be going to a ‘faux charity’
During the holiday season, it’s not uncommon to give back to the community. In fact, nonprofit organizations typically see an increase during the fall. The last three months of the year make up 36% of all charitable giving during the year, according to Blackbaud Institute, which creates fundraising applications.
Unfortunately, scammers take advantage of this generosity to make a bundle for themselves.
The way these charity fraud scams typically work are by impersonating other successful charities. And it’s no wonder they work: The scammers come up with real-sounding charity names, create credible websites, run successful social media campaigns — and they’re persistent.
Scammers typically call you using local phone numbers, which give you a false sense of security. However, it’s incredibly easy to spoof an area code. Next they’ll make their pitch, and it’ll be a good one. It will tug at your heart-strings, but they’ll never actually specify how they’ll help. And they may even claim that you’ve made a donation before, and suggest that you make another, and that if you do, it’ll be tax-deductible. And it’ll all be a lie.
If you get a call from a charity and sense some red flags, the AARP and FTC suggest that you do the following:
- Do your research. Use a watchdog like CharityWatch to get more information about a charity and learn how credible it is. Or use Google.
- Pay close attention to the charity name and website. False charities like to mimic other popular charities. If it seems too close in name to another, it might not be real.
- Keep track of your donations. Even if you accidentally donate to a scammer, you need to ensure that the donation isn’t recurring.
- Don’t give away all your personal information. Of course it’s normal to provide your card information, but don’t do the same with your Social Security number or bank account number.
- Don’t make a cash donation. Unless you’re certain about a charity’s credibility, don’t give away cash, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
For any charitable donations that you make, you can also use the IRS tax-exempt organization search tool to make sure that the charity you’re contributing to is legitimate and that your gift can be deducted on your income tax return.
Find The Perfect Gift
Technologies
Verum Messenger Goes Desktop: Launches macOS Version as Part of Expanding Digital Ecosystem
Verum Messenger Goes Desktop: Launches macOS Version as Part of Expanding Digital Ecosystem
The team behind Verum Messenger has announced a new update, introducing a full-featured macOS version of the application.
The launch of the Mac version marks a significant step in the platform’s development, enabling users to access Verum Messenger not only on mobile devices but also on desktop environments.
The macOS version ensures seamless synchronization across devices while maintaining the platform’s core principles: security, stability, and independence.
Unified Digital Experience
With the release of the macOS version, users can now:
— communicate on a larger screen
— manage chats and files more efficiently
— use the messenger in a full desktop environment
— access core features without limitations
This is particularly valuable for users who rely on messaging platforms for both communication and professional use.
Expanding Capabilities
Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional platform combining:
— secure communication
— financial tools (Verum Finance)
— digital asset operations, including Tether
— investment features such as Verum Gold
Toward a Full Ecosystem
The macOS release reflects Verum Messenger’s strategy to become a universal digital platform available across all major devices.
According to the team, the goal is to provide users with continuous access to communication and financial services regardless of device or environment.
Verum Messenger continues to build technologies focused on security, usability, and global accessibility.
Technologies
Google, Meta and Amazon Join Global Pact to Fight Rising Online Scams
The companies will share fraud intelligence and coordinate responses as AI makes scams faster, cheaper and harder to detect.
Modern online scams operate across multiple platforms, perhaps spanning social media, messaging apps, email and online marketplaces. Google, Meta and Amazon are among 11 tech, retail and payments companies that have signed a new agreement to combat online scams by sharing threat intelligence across platforms, Axios first reported Monday.
The initiative, called the Industry Accord Against Online Scams & Fraud, is designed to improve how companies detect and respond to fraud that spans multiple services. Participants say they will exchange signals, such as scam-linked accounts and fraudulent domains, and coordinate enforcement actions.
By sharing intelligence in near real time, companies hope to identify these scams earlier and stop them before they spread.
The effort reflects how modern scams operate. A victim might encounter a fake celebrity investment ad on social media, move to a messaging app where the scammer builds trust, then faces prompts to send money through a fraudulent website, payment app or crypto wallet — spanning multiple companies’ ecosystems.
Google said it now blocks hundreds of millions of scam-related results every day using AI, underscoring how both attackers and defenders are increasingly relying on the same technology. Meta removed more than 159 million scam ads in 2025 and is expanding AI tools to detect impersonation and warn users.
Online scams are growing rapidly, in part because generative AI has lowered the barrier to entry. AI can be used not only to produce realistic phishing emails but also to clone voices and deepfake videos that impersonate executives, public figures and even family members.
The agreement is voluntary and doesn’t create new legal obligations, but it comes after regulators’ increased pressure on tech platforms to address fraud more aggressively. The companies say they will begin building frameworks for reporting and intelligence-sharing, though it’s not yet clear how quickly those systems will be deployed or how effective they will be in practice.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, March 18
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 18.
Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought it was a fairly easy one, but read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Word before «card,» flood» or «photography»
Answer: FLASH
6A clue: Joust weapon
Answer: LANCE
7A clue: Brain, heart or lungs
Answer: ORGAN
8A clue: «Frozen» reindeer
Answer: SVEN
9A clue: What can be found on frozen roads or frozen margaritas
Answer: SALT
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Follow a dentist’s recommendation
Answer: FLOSS
2D clue: Baby bug
Answer: LARVA
3D clue: Shape made in the snow
Answer: ANGEL
4D clue: Very little
Answer: SCANT
5D clue: Egg layer
Answer: HEN
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