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Updated October 10, 2025 with update hot toy recommendations and new BBB Scam Tracker reports.
Every year, there are always a few “must-have” toys on most kids’ holiday wish lists. The hot toy sells out fast and becomes expensive and hard to find. In 2025, top toy lists from CNET and Toy Insider highlight interactive, tech-driven, and imaginative play favorites. This year’s standouts include Po the AI Story Bear, an artificial-intelligence-powered plush that tells stories; Furby DJ Furby Rainbow and Disney Ultimate Stitch Interactive Plush, both responsive toys with sound and motion; and Gabby’s Dollhouse Meow-mazing Interactive Dollhouse, which lets kids recreate scenes from the hit show. STEM-focused toys like Kanoodle’s Brain Teaser and Magna-Tiles Rail Racers Deluxe Set also made the cut, alongside classic favorites such as Cry Babies and new LEGO Technic Ferrari FXX K sets.
The recently restocked Nintendo Switch 2 is also generating major buzz as one of the hottest gifts of the season. While pricing for the new console remains steady, adjustments to older Switch models and accessories earlier this year have fueled even more interest among shoppers hoping to get their hands on the upgraded system. Major retailers like Walmart, Amazon, and Target have released curated lists of their predicted holiday bestsellers.
What you'll learn:
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Which toys are topping 2025’s holiday hot lists
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How scammers use fake websites and social media ads to trick shoppers searching for sold-out toys
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Tips for spotting and avoiding toy scams so you don’t lose money or end up with a counterfeit
If you are shopping for a child this holiday season, don’t let scammers trick you into accidentally buying a fake (or non-existent) version of a popular toy. Watch out for these tricks.
How the scam works
You are looking for one of this season’s hot toys, but it’s sold out at every store you visit. You decide to do a quick online search or spot an ad in your social media feed. This takes you to a website that miraculously has the toy in stock. The site may look professional and have original images of the product. It may even offer the product at discounted prices, claiming a “last-minute deal” or “flash sale.”
Unfortunately, many such offers are fake. In many cases reported to BBB Scam Tracker, buyers thought they were ordering a high-quality toy. Instead, they received a cheap counterfeit version. In other cases, the products never shipped and the websites vanished. In either case, when the dissatisfied customers tried to follow up with the company, they found that the staff either didn't respond or refused to provide a refund.
For example, one shopper told BBB Scam Tracker that they ordered an AI panda online. "This company promised a AI panda that reacts with your touch,what i recieved [sic] is a small stuffed panda with a hanging string in its head and no battery or electrical components, just a cheap claw machine toy,the ad is very misleading as it shows a stuffed panda reacting to your touch,stating it is a calming bear."
Another shopper ordered the popular Labubu toy, only to be met with disappointment. The shopper reported to BBB Scam Tracker, "My son ordered a labubu, and didn’t realize it was fake. After some digging I realized the entire website is a scam and I quickly tried to cancel the order. It will not let you. I tried to email the company, tried to chat. I have not gotten any contact back. I’m currently fighting my bank for a dispute."
Tips to avoid toy scams
- Be careful on social media. Scammers can do market research and may know what toy you're searching for. Instead of clicking on a link from a social media ad, consider opening a browser and going directly to trusted retailer websites.
- Only buy toys from reputable stores and websites. The best way to avoid getting scammed when purchasing toys is to buy them directly from a seller you know and trust. Learn how to recognize a fake website.
- Don’t be fooled by extra-low prices. Unreasonably low prices are a red flag for a scam on many products. Avoid making a purchase from a retailer you aren’t familiar with just because the price sounds too good to be true – it probably is!
- Research before you buy. If a company seems legitimate, but you aren’t familiar with it, be extra careful with your personal information. Before offering up your name, address, and credit card information, make sure the company has a working customer service number.
- Look for the BBB Seal: It's the Sign of a Better Business. BBB Accredited Businesses pledge to uphold the BBB Standards for Trust and to deal fairly with consumers. If a business displays a BBB seal, verify it by going to BBB.org.
For more information
See BBB’s online shopping hub for more online shopping tips. For more tips this holiday season, check out BBB’s holiday HQ and the 12 scams of Christmas.
If you’ve spotted a scam (whether or not you’ve lost money), report it to BBB Scam Tracker. Your report can help others.