Halloween isn’t just a time for scares, it’s also a goldmine for scammers. As adults and families search online for the perfect costume, cybercriminals are setting up phony Halloween costume websites designed to look like legitimate retailers. These sites often appear high in search results or run paid social media ads, making them seem credible at first glance. The catch? Once you place an order, you’ll never receive your costume and your credit card information ends up in the hands of scammers.

Many of these fraudulent sites lure shoppers with massive discounts, such as “90% off all costumes,” which should immediately raise a red flag. Scammers are skilled at copying brand logos, product photos, and web designs, making their fake sites nearly indistinguishable from the real ones. By the time shoppers realize they’ve been tricked, their payment details may already be used for identity theft or unauthorized purchases.