Looks like Apple, smells like trouble

• Scammers are using AI to clone big brands (Apple, Coach, Nintendo, etc.) with fake sites, emails, and ads during holiday deal season

• Email and website are surging, and nearly half of shoppers have seen fake celebrity or influencer endorsements

• Stay safe by going directly to official sites, double-checking unfamiliar retailers, using scam-protection tools, strong passwords/2FA, and trusting your gut if something feels off

As holiday shopping starts to ramps up, it brings scammers out of the woodwork looking to take advantage of deal seekers. New research from McAfee Labs shows just how aggressively cybercriminals are copying trusted brands online and how easy it is for rushed shoppers to mistake a fake website, ad, or email for the real thing.

From webpages touting fake Apple products to bogus Coach outlet sites, brand impersonation has become one of the biggest risks of the 2025 holiday season.

The brands scammers copy the most

Here are the luxury brands most likely to be impersonated (in order):

• Coach
• Dior
• Ralph Lauren
• Rolex
• Gucci

And here are the consumer brands most likely to be impersonated (in order):

• Apple
• Nintendo
• Samsung
• Disney
• Steam

No surprise that the list includes brands selling handbags, sneakers, watches, hot tech, gaming consoles, streaming, and gift cards. All stuff that shoppers are always searching for in November and December.

Scammers know this, and so they lean hard into AI to create lookalike branded websites, holiday sale graphics, and limited-time deals designed to get you to enter payment info before you think too hard about it.

Coach stands out among luxury brands, with significantly more scam-related URLs than other high-end names.

On the consumer side, Apple leads the pack as shoppers are always on the hunt for deals on a new MacBook or iPhone.

Apple is followed closely by Nintendo, Samsung, Disney, and Steam, all of which are tied to popular devices, games, or digital services.

How big is the problem? The numbers behind the

McAfees latest findings paint a clear picture of how fast impersonation are growing as the holidays approach:

• Email are sharply higher these are up about 50% in retail and 85% in tech. The bread-and-butter email you should watch out for include fake shipping notices, password resets, and account alert messages. If you get one, dont trust it and never click a link in the email. Instead, go to the website itself, if the message is real, youll find it there.
• Fake websites are on the rise technology brand URL are up nearly 50%, and consumer brand URL are up about 5%. Criminals are constantly publishingvery convincing fake websites, hoping you'll buy without thinking and hand over your credit card or bank information in the process.
• Unfamiliar ads are everywhere 91% of consumers say theyre seeing ads from retailers they dont recognize, and 37% may buy from brands they dont recognize. Yes, you read that correctly, over 1 in every 3 shoppers will consider buying from a brand or site theyve never heard of.
• AI is reshaping scam tactics 46% of Americans say theyve encountered fake celebrity or influencer endorsements. This is when scammers use AI to pair an actor, musician, or athlete with a fake limited-time deal or bogus product page.

How to protect yourself while you shop

McAfees research serves as a warning to shoppers and it also points toward simple ways to stay safer without giving up the savings:

• Go to the source, not the link. If you get a text, email, or social ad about a deal, resist the urge to click on it. Instead, always open your browser or the brands official app and search for the deal there.
• Be extra cautious with unfamiliar retailers. An amazing price from a website youve never heard of deserves an extra look. Be sure to look up independent reviews, check how long the sites been around, and look for a phone number or physical address.
• Watch for classic red flags. Site is in a different language, pressure to act immediately, demands for payment via gift cards or wire transfers, or requests for sensitive information are all major warning signs.
• Turn on scam protection tools. Many security programs now scan links and URLs in real time and can warn you before you click on something thats suspicious. Serves as good peace of mind if you tend to freely click around the internet, especially if you regularly click on ads that look interesting to you.
• Strengthen your accounts. Always use strong, unique passwords, and turn on two-factor authentication where you can. Also, keep an eye on your bank and credit card statements so you can catch suspicious charges quickly.
• Trust your gut. Id also add the importance of following your gut instinct. If the site just feels off, maybe its the logo, maybe its the wording, maybe its the photos, theres zeroshame in closing the browser tab. No deal is worth the risk if something about the transaction just doesnt feel right.

The online sales are illegal under federal law, the AGs charge

• Over 28 illegal e-cigarette websites currently operate on Shopify's platform, with another 200 selling illegal tobacco products

• Federal law requires FDA approval for all e-cigarettes, and sales to anyone under 21 are prohibited

• A bipartisan coalition of attorneys general is pressuring the e-commerce giant to remove merchants violating tobacco laws

If you're a parent worried about your teenager's access to vaping products, this news should grab your attention. The popular e-commerce platform Shopify is hosting hundreds of websites that are illegally selling e-cigarettes and other tobacco products, potentially making these addictive products easily accessible to minors.

What's happening right now

On Monday, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson led a coalition of 25 attorneys general in sending a letter to Shopify, demanding the company take stronger action against merchants using its platform to sell illegal tobacco products.

The numbers are alarming: More than 28 illegal e-cigarette websites are currently hosted on Shopify's platform, and another 200 websites are selling illegal tobacco products through the service.

"If states and the federal government create laws to protect our residents, companies can't sidestep those for their own profit," Jackson stated in the announcement.

The legal landscape you need to know

Federal law is clear about e-cigarette sales. Every new tobacco product, including e-cigarettes, must receive FDA authorization before it can be marketed and sold in the United States.

E-cigarettes without FDA approval cannot be shipped via interstate commerce, and all e-cigarette sales to anyone under 21 are prohibited nationwide.

Individual states have added their own protections. In North Carolina, for example, manufacturers must get products certified by the Department of Revenue, internet sellers must verify buyers' ages, and it's illegal to sell or give e-cigarettes to anyone under 18.

Your action plan to protect your family

1. Monitor your teen's online shopping activity, especially on platforms like Shopify that host multiple merchants

2. Check your credit card and bank statements for unfamiliar charges from e-cigarette or vaping companies

3. Talk to your children about the health risks of e-cigarettes, which are highly addictive and pose serious health risks to young people

4. Report suspected illegal e-cigarette sales to your state attorney general's office

5. If you discover your child has purchased vaping products online, contact the merchant and your state's consumer protection agency

6. Consider using parental controls on devices and internet connections to block access to vaping-related websites

Why this matters beyond one platform

While this specific action targets Shopify, the problem extends across the e-commerce landscape. Online merchants continue to find ways around age verification requirements and FDA regulations.

The attorneys general involved represent states from coast to coast, including California, New York, Illinois, and Washington, showing this is a nationwide concern.

This isn't the first time officials have taken action against companies facilitating illegal e-cigarette sales. North Carolina previously won a $47.8 million judgment against Juul for advertising and selling its products to children.

The bottom line: Shopify and other e-commerce platforms need to do more to prevent illegal tobacco sales, but you can't wait for corporate action to protect your family. Stay vigilant about your teen's online activity, know the warning signs of vaping, and don't hesitate to report suspicious merchants to authorities. Your child's health is worth the extra effort.

Stop chasing deals and start actually paying less

• Use Black Friday for giant TVs and big appliances; save Cyber Monday for laptops, headphones, small tech, clothing, beauty, and digital services

• Make a short must-buy / nice-to-have / gifts list with a target price and a walk-away price so fake 40% off banners dont fool you

• Stick to trusted retailers, compare exact model numbers on at least three sites, and skip no-name TVs, sketchy special buys, and pricey warranties on cheap gadgets

Cyber Monday can be a big gimmick designed to take your money if you dont go into it with a plan. This year the big day lands on December 1st, with most retailers stretching it into a Cyber Week event. Deals start rolling out on Black Friday morning and typically get extended well into the following week.

Heres a guide to whats actually worth buying, what to skip, and the smartest tricks and pro tips to squeeze every dollar out of your Cyber Monday shopping.

First: How Cyber Monday is different from Black Friday (and when its better)

The line between Black Friday and Cyber Monday is pretty blurry these days, but there are few differences worth knowing:

• Black Friday: Still the best day when shopping for big stuff. Think things like giant TVs, gaming consoles, and major appliances, both online and in-store.
• Cyber Monday: Arguably the best day of the year for online apparel shopping, both in terms of sitewide sales and additional coupon codes that retailers make available. Also, a solid day for laptops, tablets, accessories, smaller gadgets, software, and digital services and subscriptions.

Many retailers now run Cyber Week, so youll inevitably see some overlapping deals, but apparel, tech and online subscriptions tend to hit their lowest prices on Cyber Monday itself.

Pro tip: Use Black Friday for giant TVs and big appliances if you see a legit low price. Use Cyber Monday for clothing, laptops, headphones, small appliances, software, and fashion/beauty.

Pre-Game: Set yourself up before Cyber Monday

1. Make a deal or no deal list

Dont just waste time browsing online on Cyber Monday hoping to find a deal.

Instead, have an actual gameplan. I highly recommend making a shopping listwith the following three columns anduse it as your guide:

Column 1 - Must-buy this year (laptop, tablet, noise-canceling headphones)

Column 2 - Nice-to-have if cheap (air fryer, robot vacuum, weighted blanket)

Column 3 - Gifts & stocking stuffers (beauty sets, toys, small gadgets)

For each must-buy item, note the following:

• The normal price.
• The good deal price (what youd actually be happy to pay).
• And your walk-away price where the price is too high.

That way, when you see a 40% OFF banner, you can quickly check the price and know if its a real deal or just marketing tricks.

Best things to buy on Cyber Monday:

Laptops, tablets, headphones, and smaller tech

This is the classic Cyber Monday sweet spot:

• Laptops & tablets from Dell, Lenovo, Apple, and others often see some of their best discounts of the year.
• Headphones & earbuds (AirPods, Bose, Sony) frequently get steep markdowns plus bundle deals to sweeten the pot.
• Accessories like keyboards, routers, webcams, and smart home gear (smart plugs, smart bulbs) tend to be cheaper on Monday than Black Friday.

Here are some good places to look:

• Best Buy: Check their site first on Cyber Monday as they always have big markdowns on laptops, TVs, and headphones, plus some solid open-box options that can save you up to 50% off the original price.
• Amazon: Their enormous product variety and lightning deals on tech make them a must stop on Cyber Monday. Like always, makes sure you double-check price history and reviews.
• Dell / Lenovo / HP direct sites: They often run aggressive Cyber Monday sales that beat third-party retailers.
• B&H Photo Video is sneaky-strong for Cyber Monday laptop/TV/camera deals and often price-matches or beats the big box guys, especially on higher-end gear.
• eBay Certified Refurbished eBays Certified Refurbished section is all about big brands (Apple, Samsung, Dyson, Bose, HP, etc.) that are inspected, tested, and often sold by the manufacturer or authorized sellers. Its the perfect stop for Cyber Monday shoppers who want deals on nice stuff at 4060% off the retail price.

Pro tip: Manufacturers have been known to tweak the specs of certain models slightly to make your price comparisons harder. Because of this, I highly recommend searching the exact model number across at least three websites before you click the buy button.

Appliances and home gadgets

Cyber Monday usually brings:

• Solid deals on vacuums and carpet cleaners from brands like Dyson, Shark, and Bissell.
• Look for deals on countertop appliances as they often have their lowest prices of the year (air fryers, stand mixers, coffee makers).
• Select deals on large appliances like dishwashers, washers/dryers, and fridges at major retailers like Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart, and Best Buy.

These can be legit deals, especially if:

• Youve priced them out beforehand and know exactly what a good price looks like.
• Delivery, haul-away, and installation fees are clearly spelled out and hopefully included in the price.

Pro tip: When buying large appliances, be sure to factor in delivery + haul-away + installation when comparing prices. For example, a cheaper washer with $150 in extra fees might not be a great deal after all.

Clothing, apparel, beauty, and soft goods

Cyber Monday is very strong for:

• Apparel & shoes: Retailers start clearing out holiday and winter inventory with site-wide 3060% off sales. Then many stores will also offer a coupon code for free shipping or an additional percentage-off on top of the site-wide sale. It's makes for a perfect storm for clothing deals.
• Beauty & grooming sets: Look for deals on gift sets, tools (hair dryers, straighteners), and limited-edition kits.
• Bedding & mattresses: Deep online-only promos, especially from DTC mattress brands and big-box sites.

Check out these websites and the offers I'm predicting based on recent Cyber Monday history:

• Abercrombie(look for a 25% off site-wide sale + a 15% off coupon code)
• American Eagle (site-wide sale + coupon code)
• GAP/Old Navy/Banana Republic (50% off site-wide sale + a 10% coupon code)
• J.Crew - (look for a 50% off site-wide sale + a 15% off $100+ code)
• Kohls (stack codes + Kohls Cash)
• Macys & JCPenney (clothing and bedding)
• Target & Walmart (mainstream fashion and beauty, often with extra gift card promos)

What to skip (or be suspicious of):

Even on Cyber Monday, some deals are duds and the following often fits this category:

No-name TVs and random brands youve never heard of

• Theyre often cheap for a reason as they have poor picture quality and almost no resale or repair options. Many models are actually made for Black Friday weekend and have inferior specs.
• If youre shopping for a new TV, look for deals from established brands (Samsung, LG, Sony, TCL) and check reviews so you know what youre getting.

Cyber Monday only items with no price history

• If the item is a store-exclusive bundle or mystery special buy, you wont know if its actually worth that price as you cant price compare.
• These are often created to look like deals, but in actuality they often are not.

Super-cheap gadgets with terrible reviews

• Skip anything with lots of one-star reviews mentioning the same problem like a safety issues, early failure, or missing parts.

Extended warranties on already-cheap items

• Paying $40 to protect a $90 gadget is rarely worth it. Youre often better off saving that money in a future replacement fund.

Pro tip: Sort reviews by Most recent and specifically read the 13 star reviews. Thats often where the real problems show up.

Gas prices are down nationwide

By Mark Huffman of ConsumerAffairs

• GasBuddy identifies four stations in the Oklahoma City metro selling regular unleaded for under $2 without discounts

• Prices mark the lowest non-promotional gas rates seen in the U.S. since 2021

• Analysts say lower demand, cheaper oil, and rising OPEC output are driving the national decline

Drivers heading to Thanksgiving destinations are catching a break at the pump, with gas prices falling nationwide. GasBuddy has confirmed the first non-promotional gasoline prices below $2 per gallon seen in the United States in four years.

Four stations in Midwest City, part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area, were selling regular unleaded gasoline for $1.99 a gallon early Monday morning, signaling a potentially wider shift toward cheaper fuel as the year winds down.

Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy, called the development a notable marker in this years price trend.

Its pretty compelling to see gas prices this low, falling ahead of Thanksgiving, and it signals what more Americans could experience in the coming months, he said in the company blog.

While a few isolated stations earlier dipped below $2 through limited-time offers, GasBuddy said this weeks readings are the first verified non-promotional prices at that level since 2021.

Why prices are falling

A combination of market forces has been pushing fuel costs lower throughout the fall:

• Seasonally reduced travel demand

• A sustained slide in global oil prices

• Increased OPEC production output

• Strong U.S. refinery performance

West Texas Intermediate crude has recently hovered near $58 per barrel, its lowest point in years and sharply below prices seen earlier in 2025. The drop has eased pressure on refineries and retailers, allowing for quicker pass-through savings to consumers. OPECs steady uptick in monthly production has further loosened global supply.

The Southern U.S. is benefiting the most from this environment, where dense station competition often amplifies downward price trends. GasBuddy said it expects additional low-cost states including Texas and Mississippi to see more stations approach or break the $2 threshold before typical springtime demand pushes prices back upward in 2026.

Whats next for drivers

Although some regions have grappled with short-term refining hiccups, analysts expect those disruptions to ease, particularly in the Great Lakes and West Coast markets, where prices traditionally lag seasonal declines. Once resolved, GasBuddy anticipates broader relief through December and January.

As Thanksgiving approaches, this weeks rare sighting of sub-$2 gas may be an early sign of more relief ahead and a welcome break for millions preparing to hit the road.

Amazon Leo Ultra promises speeds up to 1 Gbps download

• Amazon Leo Ultra promises speeds up to 1 Gbps download and 400 Mbps upload, potentially faster than many current home internet plans

• The service targets businesses first in 2025, with consumer availability expected in 2026

• This could create more competition against Starlink and traditional internet providers, potentially driving down prices

Amazon just threw down the gauntlet in the satellite internet wars. The tech giant unveiled its Starlink competitor this week, and it could mean more choices and better prices for your home internet in the coming years.

What Amazon is launching

Amazon rebranded its Project Kuiper satellite internet service to "Amazon Leo" and showed off three new terminals designed to beam high-speed internet from space directly to your location.

The flagship Leo Ultra terminal is the size of a large briefcase and promises download speeds up to 1 Gbps with upload speeds reaching 400 Mbps. That's faster than many cable and fiber connections available today.

Amazon has already launched more than 150 satellites as of November 2025, with plans to deploy thousands more to provide global coverage. The company aims to start serving business customers in 2025, with regular consumers getting access in 2026.

Why this matters for your wallet

More competition in internet service typically means better deals for consumers. Right now, many Americans have limited broadband options, especially in rural areas where Starlink has dominated the satellite internet market.

Amazon's entry could pressure both traditional internet providers and Starlink to improve service quality and lower prices. The company hasn't announced pricing yet, but its history of aggressive pricing strategies suggests it may undercut competitors.

How to prepare for these changes

1. Document your current internet speeds and monthly costs now so you can compare when new options become available

2. Check if your area has limited broadband options that could benefit from satellite competition

3. Avoid signing long-term contracts with current providers if possible, as better deals may emerge in 2026

4. Research whether your location has clear sky access, as satellite internet requires unobstructed views

5. Monitor announcements from Amazon, Starlink, and traditional providers about pricing and availability in your area

The bottom line: Amazon's satellite internet service won't be available to consumers until 2026, but it represents a major shift that could give you more leverage with internet providers. Start documenting your current service costs now, and avoid long-term contracts that could lock you out of better deals when the competition heats up.