Father's Day, Prime Day to bring record spending. Here's how to shop smart, and avoid scams

Billions of dollars will be spent on gifts and personal goods over the next week. 

According to the National Retail Federation, Father’s Day spending will break records at $27.9 billion this year. That's up from $24 billion in 2025, and does not include Amazon Prime Day just two days after that, one of the busiest consumer periods of the entire year. 

In North Carolina, online purchasing is considered the most frequent scam type, making up a third of reported scams to the Better Business Bureau. Over the last 12 months, more than 2,200 online purchasing scams have been reported to the BBB, the most common categorization of scams of the state's more than 7,000 total cases. 

According to cyber security company McAfee, new recent research suggests 40% of consumers would trust a lower priced deal before verifying it first, while 29% said they would skip researching a seller if the price was low enough. 

Other consumer behavior surrounding Prime Day include:

• 82% of consumers prioritize finding the cheapest deal when shopping online  
• 55% spend more time hunting for discounts  
• 23% feel pressure to act quickly before a deal disappears  

• If it's too good to be true, it very well may be. Beware of deals that are deceptively low, which may attempt to lure victims with low prices.
• Protect your online transactions. When making online purchases, look for websites that have secure payment symbols like a lock icon or "https://" in the address bar.
• Read the fine print. When buying gift cards or booking experiences, check the terms and conditions before purchasing to ensure that the expiration date and other limitations will not be problematic. Pay close attention to any policies that may void the transaction if not followed, such as arrival times, cancellation or rescheduling processes, and if there are physical restrictions or requirements.
• Don’t click online coupons. If you see a post on social media or receive an email with an offer, don't click on the link unless you're sure the source is legitimate, as it could take you to a malicious website. Suppose you see a product or sale advertisement online, especially on social media. In that case, search for it independently by going directly to the company's website to verify the offer is legitimate.