Mother’s Day Shopping Scams Surge with Record Spending – Here’s How to Stay Safe

Mother’s Day is this weekend, and Americans are expected to spend more than ever on gifts, dinners, and experiences. According to a recent report from WREX, record spending projections this May 10 have already caught the attention of scammers. If you’re planning to buy something for Mom—whether flowers, jewelry, or a thoughtful gadget—it’s worth taking a few minutes to understand the common tricks being used right now and how to avoid them.

What Happened

Consumer spending for Mother’s Day is projected to hit new highs in 2026, according to retail and industry surveys cited in the WREX article published on May 7. While that’s good news for retailers, it also creates a breeding ground for fraud. Holiday shopping spikes are a well-known pattern for scammers; the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) consistently reports a rise in complaints tied to fake online stores, phishing emails, and gift card scams during major gifting periods.

The WREX report alerts shoppers to several specific threats: counterfeit websites that mimic well-known brands, social media ads offering deep discounts, and emails claiming to be from retailers with Mother’s Day “exclusives.” These scams are designed to steal credit card details, personal information, or outright take payment without delivering any product.

Why It Matters

The immediate risk is financial – losing money on a gift that never arrives or having your payment card compromised. But the damage can go further. Clicking a phishing link in a “Mother’s Day sale” email may install malware on your device or harvest login credentials for other accounts. Scammers also exploit emotional urgency: last-minute shoppers are more likely to overlook red flags when they’re trying to find a perfect gift quickly.

Beyond individual loss, these scams erode trust in online shopping. When a well-targeted scam succeeds, it funds further fraud. That’s why staying informed isn’t just about protecting your own wallet – it reduces the incentive for scammers to keep targeting consumers.

What Readers Can Do

You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to shop safely. A few practical habits will dramatically lower your risk.

Stick with known retailers. If you’re buying from a company you’ve never used before, do a quick background check. Look for a physical address, customer service phone number, and reviews from independent sources. Be wary of stores that only accept payment by wire transfer, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

Scrutinize URLs and email addresses. A phishing email might look like it’s from a major department store, but the sender’s address may end in something like “@deals-store24.com” instead of the real domain. Similarly, a fake website could have a URL that’s one letter off (“amizon.com” instead of “amazon.com”). Before you click, hover over any link to see where it actually leads.

Be skeptical of “too good to be true” discounts. If a normally $100 gift is marked down to $20, it’s almost certainly a scam. Criminals use low prices to lure impulse clicks. When in doubt, compare prices across a few reputable sites.

Use a credit card or PayPal for purchases. Credit cards offer stronger fraud protection than debit cards or bank transfers. If something goes wrong, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer. Avoid using debit cards for online shopping; once the money leaves your account, recovery is much harder.

Watch for gift card scams. Real Mother’s Day promotions sometimes involve gift cards, but scammers also push fake gift card offers. Only buy gift cards from the retailer’s official store or authorized resellers. Never purchase gift cards from ads on social media or pop-up websites, and never use a gift card to pay for an online purchase from a stranger.

Update your devices and passwords. This is easy to overlook, but up-to-date operating systems and browsers include security patches for known vulnerabilities. Use a unique password for each shopping account – a password manager makes that manageable.

If you think you’ve been scammed, act quickly. Contact your bank or credit card issuer immediately to report unauthorized charges. Change the passwords on any accounts you used. File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. Even if you can’t recover the money, your report helps authorities track scam campaigns.

Sources

  • WREX: “Watch for Mother’s Day shopping scams amid record spending” (May 7, 2026)
  • Federal Trade Commission, consumer alert data on holiday shopping scams (general reference)

Stay alert, shop carefully, and enjoy a scam-free Mother’s Day.