In a Which? review of 1,617 TVs at four major UK tech retailers from February 2024 to February 2025, 56 percent had at least one price between the sale price and the stated ‘was’ price, which suggests many ‘was’ prices were not what shoppers were paying just before the sale. A separate US investigation by InvestigateTV, published on 27 July 2026, found similar tactics in American stores.
This guide to fake Black Friday deals combines the Which? research (UK, in pounds), the InvestigateTV report (US) and NBC Select’s tips. The tactics are not illegal in every case, and I do not name any retailer as guilty beyond what the sources report. Black Friday 2026 is on Friday, 27 November.
The Main Price Tricks
The sources describe several patterns. The first is an inflated reference price, where the ‘was’ or original price is higher than shoppers recently paid. The second is a permanent sale, where discounts run continuously. The third is a misleading ‘sale’ sticker. The fourth is urgency, such as ‘limited time’ banners.
| Trick | What the sources found |
|---|---|
| Inflated ‘was’ price | Which?: 56% of 1,617 TVs had a price between the sale and ‘was’ price |
| Wrong reference price | InvestigateTV: a Macy’s shirt tagged 40% off 149 dollars sold at 89 dollars; 40% off the 109-dollar price would be 65 dollars |
| Continuous discounts | Consumers’ Checkbook tracked 25 major retailers for six months from February 2025 and found discounts at most were continuous |
| ‘Sale’ stickers | A former Dollar General employee told InvestigateTV corporate told her to put ‘sale’ stickers on items that weren’t discounted, and she estimated 40% of her stickers were misleading |
What RRP and ‘Was’ Really Mean
Which? found confusion about RRP: only 62 percent of respondents knew what the term stands for, 18 percent wrongly thought it meant the retailer had sold the item at that price, and 31 percent assumed a ‘was’ price was offered immediately before the promotion. In one example, Amazon listed a Samsung tumble dryer at 629.99 pounds against an RRP of 789.99 pounds, but its highest price in the previous 12 months was 719 pounds.
| Term | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| RRP | Manufacturer’s recommended price | Whether anyone sold it at that price |
| Was price | Retailer’s earlier price | Price history for the last 6 to 12 months |
| Original price | Retailer’s list price | The same, plus other stores |
How to Check a Deal in Five Steps
Which? recommends five checks, and NBC Select adds tools. Our wording below is a summary, not a quote.
| Step | How |
|---|---|
| 1. Compare retailers | Check at least three stores for the same product |
| 2. Check price history | Pricerunner, PriceSpy and CamelCamelCamel (Which?); Keepa and Honey (NBC Select) |
| 3. Distrust ‘was’ prices | Look at what it actually sold for |
| 4. Do not rely on RRP | It is not always what shops charged |
| 5. Use independent reviews | Which? recommends its own tested picks |
Which? found that 83 percent of 175 products tracked in 2024 were cheaper or equal at least once in the year, so waiting is often a valid strategy.
What the US Rules Look Like
InvestigateTV reports that a former FTC official, Monica Vaca, said inflating original prices violates the FTC Act, while Consumers’ Checkbook’s Kevin Brasler said the FTC has not enforced its deceptive-pricing rules in over 40 years. Vaca also said the FTC lost authority in 2021 to recover money for consumers. California district attorneys settled with Walmart for more than 5 million dollars. Rules differ elsewhere, so this is a US picture only.
If you spot a wrong price, InvestigateTV advises taking a photo and reporting it to your state attorney general and at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
Other Red Flags
Be skeptical of ‘limited-time’ urgency, off-brand products that may be made just for the sale, and deals that arrive through links you did not search for. Scripps News quotes Andrea Woroch warning about doorbuster deals on off-brand products. For scam links and fake storefronts, read our guide to AI phishing attacks.
