The $119 MacBook Neo deal going viral on TikTok is a scam, and I almost fell for it — here's where you can actually find it on sale

As someone who writes about tech deals for a living, I was amazed to see a deal on TikTok that claimed you could get a MacBook Neo for only $119.99. That's a shocking discount, so much so that I thought there had to be strings attached, or maybe it was just too good to be true. And it was.

The $119 MacBook Neo offer, claimed as a "back-to-school deal," was a scam. Advertised on TikTok and Instagram as a real deal at Target, but the retailer has no such discount or promotion.

When you click on the offer, it takes you to a third-party website that promises up to $750 in Target gift cards if you complete 3 to 5 partner deals that include offers, trials, and sign-ups. Generally, if you have to jump through those hoops, it's a good sign it's a scam.

This scam has become viral because who wouldn't want Apple's shiny new MacBook Neo for only $119? Ever since the price hike on Apple's MacBooks in July, you couldn't find Apple's budget MacBook for under $699.

The 13-inch Neo is Apple's cheapest MacBook on the market, yet it's packed with premium features, including a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, Apple's powerful A18 Pro chip for speedy performance, and AI capabilities. In our MacBook Neo review, we called it 'the best budget laptop you can buy right now', praising its design, build quality, and performance for the price.

While direct discounts are sparse, I've listed today's best deals on the MacBook Neo, including a trade-in offer and a free Starbucks gift card at Best Buy, a $10 price cut from Amazon, and Apple's popular $100 education discount for students and teachers.

Today's best discounts on Apple's MacBook Neo

The MacBook Neo is in stock in all colors at Amazon, with a small $10 price cut. While we've seen the budget MacBook drop to $589.99, this is the best deal we've seen since the price hike in July. It's also an incredible price for a feature-packed MacBook with an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage.

Apple MacBook Neo at Best Buy: save when you trade-in and get a free $25 Starbucks gift card

If you're looking to upgrade and trade in your current laptop, this is a fantastic deal at Best Buy. Depending on your trade-in value, you can save big on Apple's MacBook Neo and get close to that Target scam price of $119. The retailer is also throwing in a free $25 Starbucks gift card with your purchase - no strings attached.

The MacBook Neo is currently $100 off thanks to Apple's education discount. This applies to current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers. You must verify with UNiDAYS, and the discount will be applied at checkout.

Mackenzie Frazier is the lead deals editor in the US for TechRadar at Future plc. She has been sharing deal advice for Future for the past eight years and loves finding products that consumers want at the best possible prices. She's had 11 years of experience working in e-commerce and loves being a mom to her two little boys.