Barnes & Noble issued a statement clarifying that viral social media posts claiming $1 book discounts are fake and likely part of a phishing scam. These posts have been circulating on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, misleading users into signing up for nonexistent discounts valid until August 7. The company encourages customers to check their official website for legitimate promotions. Additionally, the rise of AI-driven fraud scams targeting consumers is highlighted, with reports suggesting that digital fraud is increasingly common, often involving phishing tactics.

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Barnes & Noble sets the record straight on '$1 book discount'

Portrait of Saman Shafiq Saman Shafiq

USA TODAY

July 31, 2026, 5:35 p.m. ET

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Seeing those $1 discount books at Barnes & Noble? They're fake.

Recently, social media, particularly Instagram and TikTok, have been flooded with posts about books at Barnes & Noble being discounted to only a dollar. The posts direct viewers to links where they can sign up to receive a code to claim the deal, which, according to them, is valid until Aug. 7.

Turns out, those posts are fake and likely a scam.

"This is a fake online promotion and most likely a phishing scam," Barnes & Noble said in a statement to USA TODAY on July 31. "We encourage customers to go to our website to see current legitimate sales and promotions."

Barnes & Noble routinely runs promotions and deals on books and e-books on its website and also sometimes offers discounted books at its brick-and-mortar stores across the country.

AI-powered fraud on the rise

Recent analysis has found that sophisticated artificial intelligence-driven fraud is increasingly targeting U.S. consumers, who are falling victim to schemes that steal their IDs and credit card information, and even make fraudulent charges.

According to the latest Top Fraud Trends Report by TransUnion, 1 in 6 U.S. consumers said they lost money to digital fraud in the form of email, online, phone call or text messaging scams in the last year.

Stolen credit card information obtained through phishing, website skimming, and account takeovers is among the leading drivers of U.S. consumer fraud losses. Phishing in the form of fraudulent emails, QR codes meant to steal data, or social media posts was the most reported scam, with 39% of consumers saying they were targeted.

"Fraud is big. It's growing, it's everywhere and it's not going away," Clint Lowry, vice president of global fraud solutions at TransUnion, previously told USA TODAY.

Generative AI has likely accelerated the scale and sophistication of this criminal activity.

"With the advent of AI, you get these incredibly professional fraud schemes that can be done very quickly and easily by anyone with very limited resources," he added.

Contributing: Betty Lin-Fisher, USA TODAY

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at sshafiq@gannett.com and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

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