Black Friday marks the start of the most intense fraud period of the year, according to technology and finance company Adyen, which examined the Swedish Crime Prevention Council's data on reported card fraud.
Between November 2024 and January 2025, an average of around 13 percent more card fraud was reported than during the period February-October 2024, Adyen's analysis shows. However, the figures are not adjusted for the fact that household consumption normally increases during sales periods.
The compilation also shows that a clear majority of card fraud in 2022-2024 occurred online – 230,000 of 270,000 reported card frauds were without a physical card present.
Using AI
Björn Appelgren, head of public education at the Internet Foundation, explains that fraudsters are skilled at adapting scams to the season.
For example, we tend to see more scams about good offers or scams about package deliveries around Black Friday and Christmas time, he says.
The fraudsters' tools have become increasingly convincing over the years – everything from the language to the fake sites has become more professional.
–Generative AI tools can really help fraudsters produce nice images and correct language. It has become a powerful tool for fraudsters, says Björn Appelgren.
Difficult to distinguish
It can happen that people are tricked into clicking on links in emails and text messages that lead to a fake site that looks credible. Logos and layouts from the companies' real sites are used to deceive.
On the website, for some reason you have to enter your card details – then the fraudster has your card details.
It can be very difficult to tell if a link is genuine. The best thing to do is to double-check. If you get a link where Postnord claims that your package is stuck in customs – call Postnord or the company in question, but on a number you have found yourself.
Think critically, be suspicious of links and unusually low prices.
Shop from official websites of well-known companies.
Read customer reviews, especially if you're shopping from lesser-known companies. But remember to look for customer reviews off-site, as scam sites can have fake customer reviews.
Do not give out your card details at the request of someone who texts, emails or calls.
If you have accidentally given out your card details, block the card immediately and save the money first. Call your bank and tell them. Then report it to the police.
As a precaution, you might want to consider not having too much money on the card you use to shop online. Money can be transferred if necessary.
Source: Björn Appelgren, Internet Foundation.
