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holiday shopping season should be exciting, but it's rush hour for scammers. And this year, one trick is affecting more inboxes and phones than ever: the fake refund scam. If you've ever seen an unexpected email or message in November or December that says “Your refund has been processed,” “Your payment has failed,” or “We owe you money,” it's no accident.
Scammers know you buy more, track more packages, and falsify more receipts than at any other time of the year. This chaos makes fake refund scams incredibly effective and incredibly dangerous.
Here's why these scams are spreading, how to spot them instantly, and what you can do today to stop scammers from targeting you in the first place.
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FBI warns email users of increased holiday scams
Fake refund emails can look convincing during the holidays, making it easy to fall for scams when your inbox is full. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
Why chargeback scams spike during the holidays
Scammers strike when Americans are distracted, in a hurry, and making dozens of purchases. Black Friday, Cyber Monday and holiday gift shopping create the perfect storm:
1) You are expecting a legitimate refund
Holiday shopping is:
- Products are out of stock
- Orders are canceled
- Parcels arrive late
- Prices vary
- Stores offering refunds under the Best Price Guarantee program.
Fraudsters know this. When you are already expecting refund emails, their fake emails are leaked immediately.
2) You spend more, which means bigger goals.
The study shows that Americans will spend 3.6% more on holiday shopping this year than last year. Buying between $200 and $500 is completely normal this season. Other reports show a decline in spending, but note that people spend an average of more than $600 during Black Friday promotions alone.
Expenses pile up, new items arrive, some are returned, and the “$249 refund” message doesn’t look suspicious—it looks believable. But it is very important to check whether the message is real. Never click on links without carefully reading Email addressname and content of the message.
3) Your mailbox is full.
Have you been looking at new household appliances? Or a gift for a loved one? Have you saved something in your cart to see if the price will go down? Thanks to Black Friday, your inbox is probably full:
- Promo codes
- Offers
- Delivery Updates
- Order Confirmations
- Receipts
- Return Notices.
It's easy to lose your orders and packages amid the flood of emails. And when you look at over 200 promotions, the scams become harder to catch.
4) They know exactly what you bought.
Fraudsters get theirs information from data brokerscompanies that collect, package and sell your personal information. Your profile can include anything from your name, contact information, purchase history, and even your financial status.
In general, data brokers and trading apps sell models including:
- Where do you shop
- How much do you spend
- What categories do you buy?
- Recent Purchases
- Your email address, phone number and address.
And scammers buy this information to create convincing and personalized attacks. This is why their fake refund emails often imitate retailers you actually used.
HOW TO STOP SCAM BANKS BEFORE THEY TAKE YOUR WALLET
Scammers use urgent warnings and realistic details to trick you into clicking links that steal your personal information. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How the Fake Refund Scam Works
Fraudsters usually follow one of three scenarios:
“Your refund is ready. Confirm your account.” You click on a link and are taken to a site similar to Amazon, Walmart, UPS, Target or Best Buy. And when you enter your login, scammers can steal your credentials by manipulating you.
“We overpaid you. Click here to get your money back.” It asks for your debit card number, your bank login and PayPal credentials. Or worse: it installs malware that automatically steals them.
Phone version: “We issued a refund by mistake.” You receive a call from someone pretending to be Amazon customer support, PayPal customer service, or even your bank. They say they “refunded too much money” and want you to pay back the difference. Some even use screen sharing to empty bank accounts in real time.
These scams cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars every year. The Federal Trade Commission reports that impostor scams (related to online shopping) were the second-largest reported loss, resulting in $2.95 billion lost in 2024.
What these emails look like so you can spot them quickly
Fraudsters are becoming more sophisticated. Fake refund messages often include:
- Your correct name
- Real store logo.
- Actual order amount
- Plausible order number
- “Click to View Refund” Buttons
- Pressure on deadlines, for example, “reply within 24 hours.”
Here's a hint: No legitimate retailer will ever require you to enter your banking information to receive a refund.
Please note that scammers often ask you to:
- Confirm payment
- Confirm your personal information
- Login via link
- Provide bank details
- Download the invoice.
The easiest way to protect yourself before the peak of the holidays
Manually deleting your data from data broker sites is technically possible, but extremely tedious. Some require you to upload government IDs, fax forms, multiple follow-ups and updates every 30-90 days as they re-register your information.
This is why most people almost never do it. However, a data removal service automates the entire process. These services:
- Determine which broker sites have your information
- Submit formal removal requests on your behalf.
- Make them delete your data
- Constantly monitor and re-request deletion
- Prevent brokers from re-listing you
While no service can guarantee complete removal of your data from the internet, a data removal service is indeed a smart choice. They don't come cheap, and neither does your privacy. These services do all the work for you, actively monitoring and systematically removing your personal information from hundreds of websites. This is what gives me peace of mind and has proven to be the most effective way to erase your personal data from the internet. By limiting the information available, you reduce the risk that scammers will link leaked data to information they can find on the dark web, making it harder for them to target you.
Check out my top data removal services and get a free scan to see if your personal information has already been published online by visiting Cyberguy.com
Get a free scan to see if your personal information has already been published online: Cyberguy.com
Criminals often rely on data from broker websites to personalize their cashback scams, so it's important to reduce your digital footprint. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)
How to Protect Yourself This Season (3 Quick Steps)
Be sure to follow these few simple steps to protect yourself from targeted scams.
1) Never click return links in emails or text messages.
Go directly to your retailer's website and check your actual order history. Confirm the sender's email address and communicate only with official representatives of the retailer.
2) Enable multi-factor authentication.
Tune two-factor authentication (2FA) for all your accounts. With 2FA, you will need to authorize your login via email, text message, or generated PINs. This way, even if you accidentally enter your password somewhere fake, 2FA can stop the hack.
3) Limit the ability of scammers to find you.
This is the part that most people miss and that is why they remain a target. Removing your personal information from data broker sites prevents scammers from accessing your real data. The data deletion service automates and makes this process seamless, which is why I recommend it to my most privacy-conscious readers.
Check out my top data removal services and get a free scan to see if your personal information has already been published online by visiting Cyberguy.com.
Kurt's key takeaways
Refund scams become increasingly popular during the holiday shopping season because scammers rely on two things: chaos in your inbox and selling your personal information behind your back. You can't stop scammers from sending fake emails, but you can stop them from targeting you specifically. Before the holiday shopping rush hits, take the time to clean up your data trail. The end result is less fraud, less risk, and much more peace of mind.
Have you received a suspicious email or text message about a refund this season? Share your experiences so we can help warn others in the comments below. Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com
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