How do I avoid holiday shopping scams when fake stores look real now?

Slow down and go direct. The 2026 Norton Insights Report: Holiday Scams, released November 5, found nearly half of Americans (48%) are more worried about online scams this holiday season than last, and 1 in 6 Americans fell victim to online shopping scams. Skip the ad link, type the real store address yourself, and pay with protection.

You see a perfect gift at half price in a social ad late at night, your card is already in your hand, and the countdown timer says two minutes left. Short answer: Slow down and go direct. According to the 2026 Norton Insights Report: Holiday Scams released November 5, nearly half of Americans (48%) are more worried about online scams this holiday season than last, and 1 in 6 Americans fell victim to online shopping scams.

The safest habit is to skip the ad link, type the real store address yourself or use its official app, and pay with a credit card or a payment service with buyer protection.Why it matters: Scammers now use AI to build convincing fake stores, ads and messages that copy real brands. A one-letter difference in a web address or a delivery text with a small redelivery fee can steal your card number or login. Checking the seller before you pay stops most of these traps before money leaves your account.Five habits that stop most holiday scams:1.

Check the website before you buy: look for misspelled URLs, and search the store name plus the word scam or reviews.2. Skip the ad and go straight to the retailer: type the address yourself or open the official app instead of clicking a social ad or a text link.3. Double-check what an AI assistant recommends: vet any unfamiliar retailer it suggests on the retailer’s own site before you confirm a purchase.4.

Pay with protection: use a credit card or a trusted payment service. Avoid sellers who demand bank transfers, gift cards or cryptocurrency.5. Track packages at the source: check delivery status in the retailer or carrier app, not through links in texts or emails.Pro tip: The countdown timer is the trap.

A real deal will still be checkable in ten minutes; a scam needs you rushed.Ad’s take: I would rather miss a so-called deal than spend December fighting a charge for a gift that never shows up. Go direct, pay protected, and keep the receipt.