New Delhi, Nov. 27 -- CloudSEK on 27 November warned of a large-scale surge in fraudulent online shops set up to exploit Black Friday and year-end festive sales, uncovering more than 2,000 holiday-themed scam websites designed to imitate major retail brands.

According to the digital risk protection firm, cybercriminals are operating one of the most extensive seasonal scam networks seen in recent years. The fake stores closely mimic well-known retailers, using recycled holiday layouts, countdown clocks, bogus trust badges, and manipulative pop-ups that simulate recent purchases to create a sense of urgency.

Researchers found that these sites harvest payment and personal information while redirecting transactions through attacker-controll...