Forcepoint Warns: AI Supercharges a New Generation of Black Friday Scams

Black Friday has always been a hacker’s holiday. But according to new research from Forcepoint, this year’s threats are more advanced—and more convincing—than ever. Cybercriminals are now wielding artificial intelligence to clone legitimate shopping sites, mimic trusted retailers, and launch phishing campaigns that are virtually impossible to distinguish from the real thing.

Forcepoint’s Findings: AI Turns Holiday Scams into Precision Attacks

Forcepoint analysts say AI has fundamentally changed the economics of online fraud. What once required technical skill or coordinated criminal networks can now be done at scale with automated tools.

“Attackers are using AI to industrialize deception,” said one Forcepoint threat intelligence expert. “It’s fast, scalable, and disturbingly realistic.”

The company’s data shows that AI-generated phishing emails, social media ads, and cloned e-commerce pages have surged in the run-up to this year’s Black Friday season—particularly impersonating major retailers like Amazon, Temu, and luxury brands such as Rolex and Louis Vuitton.

The Familiar Faces of Fraud

Forcepoint’s researchers found that Amazon remains the top impersonation target, with fake “order confirmation” and “exclusive deal” messages landing in millions of inboxes. Temu’s meteoric rise has made it another favorite for scammers, with “mystery box” promotions used to lure bargain hunters to malicious sites.

Luxury goods scams, meanwhile, exploit the illusion of exclusivity. Emails advertising “Rolex Starting at $250” or “Louis Vuitton Black Friday Specials” lead to sophisticated clones of real retail websites—complete with fake product reviews and convincing payment portals.

“These aren’t the sloppy, broken-English scams people remember,” said a Forcepoint researcher. “AI tools give even low-skill criminals the power to produce highly polished, brand-faithful frauds.”

Social Media: The New Front Line of Shopping Scams

Forcepoint’s report also highlights a surge in AI-driven scam ads across TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook. Criminals are now using stolen product imagery, trending sounds, and realistic influencer-style videos to draw shoppers to fake storefronts.

Because the ads disappear within hours, tracking and reporting them has become a cat-and-mouse game. “Social platforms are the new phishing frontier,” warned Forcepoint. “Attackers understand how trust and familiarity drive clicks—and they’re automating that psychology.”

How the Scams Work

The anatomy of a Black Friday attack hasn’t changed much—impersonate a trusted brand, offer an irresistible deal, and create time pressure—but AI has removed the telltale signs that once gave scammers away.

Forcepoint found that AI is being used to:

• Recreate retail email templates with pixel-perfect accuracy.

• Generate convincing fake product reviews.

• Build entire ecommerce sites within minutes.

• Craft social media posts that adapt tone and slang to the target audience.

Some scam sites even deploy AI chatbots trained on scraped customer-service transcripts to reassure victims and guide them through checkout.

Forcepoint’s Advice: Slow Down and Scrutinize

Forcepoint’s experts emphasize that vigilance remains the best defense. They recommend:

• Inspecting sender domains for misspellings or odd extensions.

• Hovering over links before clicking to confirm legitimate destinations.

• Avoiding high-pressure countdowns or “only 3 left” tactics.

• Using credit cards, not debit or peer-to-peer apps, for better fraud protection.

• Visiting retailer sites directly, not through promotional links.

The Human Element Remains the Weakest—and Strongest—Link

Forcepoint’s research underscores a sobering truth: AI may be changing the tools, but not the tactics. Scammers still rely on human psychology—urgency, trust, and distraction—to make their schemes work.

“Awareness is the only counter-AI we all have access to right now,” a Forcepoint threat researcher concluded. “The best defense is to slow down before you spend.”

This Black Friday, Forcepoint’s message is simple: the most valuable deal may be the one you don’t click.