As online Black Friday shopping continues to grow in South Africa, Standard Bank is warning consumers to watch out for fake deals. Image: AI Generated.
Standard Bank
Black Friday 2026: Standard Bank warns South Africans about rising online shopping scams
As online Black Friday shopping continues to grow in South Africa, Standard Bank is warning consumers to watch out for fake deals, fraudulent websites and social media scams designed to steal their money and personal information.
Black Friday is increasingly moving online in South Africa, but the growth in digital shopping is also creating more opportunities for scammers to target bargain hunters.
Standard Bank has urged consumers to slow down and verify deals before making purchases as November shopping promotions gather momentum.
The bank recorded a 6.6% year-on-year increase in transaction volumes during Black Friday in 2025, with online transactions showing an even sharper increase.
Online transaction volumes surged by 75%, while more consumers also opted to use digital wallets, highlighting the rapid shift towards online shopping and digital payments.
Dr Belinda Rathogwa, Head of Digital and E-commerce at Standard Bank, said the changing shopping environment was creating new opportunities for fraudsters.
“There’s a clear shift in how South Africans shop Black Friday deals now. But as online shopping grows, so does the opportunity for fraudsters to target unsuspecting shoppers,” said Rathogwa.
According to the bank, scammers are increasingly using trusted brands, fake promotions and fraudulent websites to make their schemes appear legitimate.
Fraudulent offers can reach consumers through email, websites, SMS, WhatsApp, social media advertisements and online marketplaces.
Scammers also exploit the pressure associated with Black Friday by using tactics such as limited-time offers and unusually low prices to encourage consumers to make quick decisions.
Rathogwa said consumers no longer rely solely on retailer websites when searching for deals.
“Deals often appear on their social media feeds – a sponsored advert, an instant message or an online marketplace. As the number of shopping touchpoints grows, so do opportunities for scammers to promote fake deals or direct shoppers to fraudulent websites,” she said.
Pause before paying
Standard Bank said one of the most effective ways consumers can protect themselves is to resist the pressure to act immediately.
Shoppers are encouraged to pause and verify the retailer, website and offer before entering personal or banking information or making a payment.
Consumers should carefully inspect website addresses for spelling mistakes and avoid clicking on links received through unsolicited emails, SMSes or messaging applications.
The bank also advised shoppers to be particularly cautious of deals that appear significantly cheaper than similar products elsewhere.
When shopping through social media or online marketplaces, consumers should check the seller’s profile, reviews and sales history before making a payment.
For online purchases, Standard Bank recommends using secure payment methods such as a Virtual Card and warns consumers never to approve a payment they did not initiate.
With Black Friday promotions expected to run throughout November, consumers are likely to encounter a growing number of online deals across different platforms.
Standard Bank’s advice is simple: pause and verify before buying.
A few extra moments to check a retailer, website or payment request could help prevent consumers from losing money or exposing their personal information to fraudsters.
