Amazon Warns 300 Million Users of Surge in Fake Sites Ahead of UK Black Friday

On November 24, 2025, Amazon sent an urgent alert to its 300 million global customers — with a sharp focus on UK shoppers — warning of a terrifying spike in phishing scams disguised as legitimate shopping sites. The message, confirmed by Amazon’s official Trustworthy Shopping page, came just days before Black Friday, when online spending in the UK typically surges past £10 billion. Cybercriminals, it turns out, aren’t waiting for deals to drop — they’re creating fake ones.

How the Scams Are Evolving

The numbers are staggering. According to data from NordVPN's Threat Protection Pro, cited by TechRadar journalist Joe Chivers on November 26, 2025, fake Amazon websites jumped 232% in October 2025 compared to September. That’s not a glitch. It’s a coordinated campaign. Fraudulent online stores overall rose 250%, and eBay clone sites? They exploded by 525%. Meanwhile, FortiGuard Labs found over 18,000 holiday-themed domains registered in recent months — 750 of them confirmed malicious. These aren’t amateur operations. They’re professional-grade fakes, complete with convincing logos, realistic checkout flows, and even fake customer service numbers.

Here’s the twist: most people can’t tell the difference. NordVPN’s National Privacy Test revealed that 68% of consumers can’t distinguish between a real Amazon page and a phishing one. That’s nearly seven in ten shoppers walking straight into traps. And it’s not just about fake websites. Between August and October 2025, around 4,000 UK customers reported receiving fake emails or SMS messages claiming unauthorized purchases — all designed to panic them into clicking malicious links or handing over passwords.

Phone Scams Are Now the Main Threat

For years, email was the primary vector. But Amazon’s own data shows a chilling shift. In March 2025, phone-based scams overtook email as the top method used against UK customers. From February to March alone, those calls spiked 71%. Scammers now pose as Amazon support agents, saying your account has been locked, your delivery failed, or your payment failed — and they need your one-time code to “fix it.”

“Amazon will never ask for payment details over the phone,” the company stressed in its official warning. “No legitimate communication will ever request your password or one-time code.” Yet, the pressure tactics are ruthless. One victim told LADbible she received a call during her lunch break claiming her account was “compromised.” She gave the code. Within minutes, £320 was spent on gift cards. By the time she realized it was a scam, the money was gone — and untraceable.

Why Black Friday Is the Perfect Storm

This isn’t random. It’s strategic. Black Friday in the UK is the biggest shopping day of the year. In 2024, consumers spent over £9.8 billion online. This year, analysts expect even more. Shoppers are distracted, excited, and bombarded with “limited-time offers.” Scammers exploit that rush. Fake ads for £100 AirPods or $200 PlayStation deals? They’re everywhere — on social media, search results, even YouTube. Click one, and you’re routed to a site that looks real. Until you enter your card number.

Amazon’s internal data shows unauthorized payment attempts in the UK rose to 38% during the August–October window — up from 28% in April. That’s not a trend. It’s a red alert. And it’s not just Amazon. eBay, Argos, and even smaller retailers are being impersonated. The goal? Steal credentials, drain bank accounts, or sell your data on dark web marketplaces.

What You Can Do — And What Amazon Says to Do

Amazon’s advice is simple, but critical:

• Never click links in unsolicited emails or texts — type amazon.co.uk directly into your browser.
• Always check for HTTPS and the padlock icon — but know that even that can be faked.
• Enable two-factor authentication on your account — it’s your best shield.
• Use strong, unique passwords. Don’t reuse them across sites.
• Report suspicious messages using Amazon’s self-reporting tool — or call customer service through the official app or website.

“If it feels off, it probably is,” said one cybersecurity analyst at FortiGuard Labs. “Scammers are now using AI to generate voice clones of real Amazon agents. They know your purchase history. They mention your last order. It’s terrifyingly personal.”

What Happens Next?

Amazon says it’s working with UK police and the National Cyber Security Centre to shut down domains and track offenders. But the scale is overwhelming. Every hour, new fake sites pop up. And while Amazon has taken down over 1,200 fraudulent domains in the last six months, new ones appear faster than they can be removed.

Meanwhile, regulators are under pressure. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is reviewing whether online marketplaces should be held legally responsible for third-party scams appearing on their platforms. That conversation is just beginning. For now, the burden falls on shoppers.

Here’s the hard truth: the safest place to shop this Black Friday isn’t on a search result or a pop-up ad. It’s on the official Amazon app. Or the official website. Typed in manually. No shortcuts. No clicks. Just you, your browser, and your common sense.