Black Friday and Christmas scams: fake shops, parcel texts and what to do

Payment fraud in Ireland reached €179 million in 2025. This guide covers the scams that peak around Black Friday and Christmas, how to spot them, and the steps that give you the best chance of getting money back.

Reporting a scam makes a big difference. Central Bank research found that 57% of victims who reported fraud to their bank, the Gardaí or another authority got their money back. Of those who did not report it, only 13% did.

Fraud is rising fast

The Central Bank of Ireland counts fraud on payments made by card, bank transfer, direct debit and cheque. In 2025 it came to €179.04 million, up 27.2% from €140.80 million in 2024.

That is still rare per payment: about 1 in every 10,000. But the sums are growing, and 69.8% of the money went in payments to other countries.

Garda figures also point up. Provisional crime figures for 2025 show reports of shopping and online auction fraud up 183% on 2024. The Gardaí say part of the rise comes from processing a high volume of fraud reports that some organisations must make to them by law.

Card fraud grew too. Fraud on card payments came to €51.01 million in 2025, across about 429,000 fraudulent card payments.

The scams people meet most

Fake shops look real

Criminals set up fake online shops to take your card details or your money. The Gardaí say these sites look genuine and often offer big discounts.

The CCPC, the State consumer body, says fake shops often use social media ads, Irish-sounding names, urgent sales and large discounts. Then the goods never arrive, or a tracking number does not work.

• Check the business is well established before you pay
• Look for real contact details, such as an address and phone number
• Read reviews on independent sites, not only on the shop's own page
• Be wary of prices far below other shops
• Do not buy from a link in an ad you did not search for
• Do your own research: the Gardaí advise accepting nothing as fact until you are sure a seller is genuine

Parcel texts and phishing

Phishing is when a scammer pretends to be a company you trust to get your details. When it comes by text, it is called smishing. By phone, it is called vishing.

At Christmas, many fake texts claim a parcel is waiting and a small fee is due. One in seven fraud victims in the Central Bank survey had been caught by a fake delivery firm.

The Gardaí say they and your bank will never ask for your banking PIN or password. Check any request using contact details you find yourself, not ones in the message.

Marketplace and push payment fraud

On social media marketplaces, a seller may post a copy of a real ad, take your money and vanish. The Gardaí advise buying only from genuine ads and keeping contact on the site, not moving to private messages.

Ticket scams are common too: tickets bought online that never turn up. The Gardaí warn never to send money to someone unless you can trust they are who they say.

Authorised push payment (APP) fraud is when you are tricked into sending money yourself, usually by bank transfer. Because you made the payment, it can be harder to get back. It is now the biggest kind of payment fraud in Ireland.

If you think you have been scammed

1. Contact your bank or card provider straight away to stop or reverse payments.
2. Ask about a chargeback if you paid by card: it can reverse a card payment.
3. Report it at your local Garda station. Bring emails, account details and copies of the ad.
4. Report the seller or ad to the website or app where you found it.
5. If an email, social media or other account was taken over, report it to that company.
6. For a dispute with a real business, contact the CCPC on 01 402 5555.

Do not feel embarrassed. The Central Bank found 38% of victims never reported fraud to their provider or any authority. Reporting gives you the best chance of recovery.

“Financial frauds and scams continue to be a key area of concern for the Central Bank of Ireland.”— Colm Kincaid, Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Ireland, 2026

Small losses still count

Many scams take small amounts. In the Central Bank survey, 39% of victims lost less than €249. Reporting even a small loss helps banks and the Gardaí spot patterns and stop the same scam catching other people.