How Black Friday Deals Bring Phishing Risks to Your Inbox

Published by Ambar Rengel on November 24, 2025

Black Friday is exciting—discounts everywhere, inboxes full of deals, and the thrill of snagging that perfect bargain. But here’s the catch: cybercriminals love this season just as much as shoppers do. Why? Because urgency and trust make people click faster than they think.

Before you dive into those “limited-time offers,” let’s talk about why phishing attacks spike during Black Friday and how you can protect your business from becoming a victim.

The Phishing Crisis at a Glance

Phishing isn’t just an occasional nuisance—it’s a global epidemic. Every day, billions of phishing emails flood inboxes, and businesses are prime targets. During Black Friday, the numbers skyrocket because hackers know you’re expecting promotional emails.

Here’s what the data says:

3.4 billion phishing emails hit inboxes daily—that’s about 1.2% of global email traffic.

Phishing is the #1 cause of business data breaches, with 60–68% involving human error.

Black Friday scams spike up 650–692%, and 77% of Black Friday emails were outright scams.

Malicious domain registrations surge: 158 new Black Friday domains in October, 330+ by early November, with 1 in 11 being malicious.

Why Cybercriminals Hustle on Black Friday

Think about it: Black Friday creates the perfect storm for phishing. People are in a rush, deals look irresistible, and inboxes are overflowing. Hackers exploit this urgency and trust to trick even the most cautious users.

Here’s why this season is a goldmine for scammers:

Urgency: “Sale ends in 2 hours!” → people act fast and think later.

Brand trust: Fake “Amazon” or “Ikea” confirmations with slight URL changes.

Data leaks fuel personalization: Hackers already know your name and location.

Fake storefronts & ads: Counterfeit “Ray-Ban $27” deals and cloned gift card promos.

Spotting Phishing Emails: What to Watch For

Not every phishing email screams “scam.” Some look polished and professional. But there are still clues if you know where to look. Before clicking that tempting link, pause and check for these red flags:

Red Flag	What It Looks Like
Sender address tricks	e.g. support@amaz0n-security.com
Urgent, emotional language	“Your account will be closed!”
Weird URLs	Hover to check—typos, mismatches, odd domains
Requests for sensitive info	Banks, vendors, coworkers don’t ask via random emails
Attachments & links	Hovering helps—don’t click unexpected links or ZIPs
Bad grammar and branding	AI has improved phishing, but errors may still slip through

What to Do If You Click a Suspicious Email

Accidents happen. If you clicked a phishing email, don’t panic—but act fast. The quicker you respond, the less damage hackers can do.

Here’s your emergency checklist:

Disconnect from Wi-Fi or Ethernet immediately.

Shut down the browser or device entirely—don’t just close the tab.

Run antivirus and anti-malware scans.

Change passwords & enable MFA—start with affected accounts.

Isolate the device and back up clean data.

Notify IT and share full email headers for investigation.

Report the phish to Microsoft, FTC, US-CERT, APWG.

Train employees continuously—modern threats need ongoing awareness.

Lock Down Security with Pacific IT Support

Phishing attacks aren’t going away—but your business can stay ahead. At Pacific IT Support, we help companies like yours build strong defenses against email-based threats, especially during high-risk seasons like Black Friday.

Here’s what we offer:

Cybersecurity & network security audits with proactive monitoring.

Email protection tools—secure gateways, spoof-blocking, phishing-resistant MFA.

Employee training programs that reduce phishing click rates by up to 38%.

24×7 SOC support & incident response plans for fast containment.

Comprehensive cyber assessments to keep your systems locked down.

Ready to Protect Your Business?

Don’t wait until a phishing email costs you thousands. Book your free cyber risk assessment today and let Pacific IT Support help you secure your inbox, train your team, and keep your business safe.

Schedule your free security review now

Image Credit: Pixabay / un-perfekt