How to Avoid Mother’s Day Shopping Scams This Year

Mother’s Day is one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, and this season is expected to set another record for spending. That also makes it a prime time for scammers. A recent report from WREX notes that with more people buying gifts online, fraudulent offers and phishing attempts are surging. If you’re planning to shop for someone special, a few precautions can save you money and frustration.

What’s Happening

Scammers are mimicking legitimate retailers, sending emails with subject lines like “Mother’s Day Special – 70% Off,” and running ads on social media for deals that don’t exist. The WREX article highlights that many of these schemes involve fake websites that take orders and payment but never ship anything. Others use urgency tactics — “Sale ends in one hour” — to push shoppers into clicking without thinking.

Phishing emails pretending to be from well-known stores also try to collect credit card numbers or login credentials. Gift card fraud is another common trick: scammers ask you to buy a gift card for a “limited time” offer and then demand the PIN.

Why It Matters

Beyond losing the money you spend, falling for a Mother’s Day scam often means handing over personal information that can be used for identity theft. The emotional aspect matters too — a ruined surprise or an empty promise can sour the holiday. Because scammers specifically target high-traffic events, the chance of encountering a fraudulent offer is higher now than at other times of the year.

What You Can Do

Here are practical steps to stay safe while shopping for gifts.

Stick to trusted sellers and official websites. If a deal appears on social media, look up the company’s official site yourself rather than clicking the ad. Use well-known marketplaces (Amazon, Etsy, eBay) or direct retailer sites you’ve used before.

Check the website’s quality. Look for typos, missing contact information, and suspicious URLs that include extra words or misspellings. A legitimate store will have a clear return policy, customer service number, and physical address.

Be skeptical of too-good-to-be-true prices. A 70% discount on a popular item that’s sold out everywhere else is a red flag. Compare prices across multiple sites before buying.

Avoid paying with gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Legitimate retailers accept credit cards or services like PayPal. Credit cards also offer chargeback protection if something goes wrong.

Don’t click links in unsolicited emails. If you receive an email about a Mother’s Day sale from a company you don’t remember subscribing to, delete it. Instead, go directly to the company’s website and look for the offer.

Use a separate payment method for online shopping. Many banks and credit card issuers let you create virtual card numbers for one-time use. This limits the risk if a site turns out to be fraudulent.

If you think you’ve been scammed, act quickly. Contact your bank or credit card issuer to dispute the charge. Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Change any passwords you may have entered on the fraudulent site. The faster you act, the better the chance of recovering your money.

Sources

  • WREX – “Watch for Mother’s Day shopping scams amid record spending” (May 7, 2026)
  • Federal Trade Commission – “How to Avoid a Scam” guidance (consumer.ftc.gov)

A little caution now can keep Mother’s Day from turning into a lesson in fraud. Verify before you buy, and you’ll be much less likely to get caught.