As the festive season approaches, Australians are being warned to stay vigilant against a rising tide of online scams.

With the holiday shopping craze in full swing, fraudsters are capitalising on the increased online activity, exploiting stretched budgets and time-poor customers.

According to recent data from Westpac, consumer scams, which typically peak in November and December, have surged by a staggering 47 per cent from last year.

Ben Young, Westpac's head of fraud, revealed that over half of all reported buying and selling scams in 2022 occurred in these two months.

Scammers target shoppers who are looking to save with online deals during the holiday season. Image source: rawpixel.com on Freepik.

'Scammers often target customers at this time of year when people are spending more and can sometimes be a bit more distracted,' Young said.

He also noted a 5 per cent increase in calls to Westpac's fraud team during the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

'Our research shows more Aussies are also seeking out bargains to help fund their festive season. While this is a great way to make the Christmas budget stretch further, it unfortunately also means we might be more susceptible to fake offers promising sought-after items at competitive prices,' he added.

'Scammers also prey on “parcel anxiety” where many of us anxiously await an online delivery and trick us into clicking on links through fake tracking updates.'

Westpac's research showed that about 38 per cent of Australians had encountered a scam through fake websites, online retailers, or marketplaces.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch reported that Australians have lost a whopping $455 million to fraudsters between January and November this year.

So, how can you protect yourself from these cunning fraudsters?

Here are some common scam tactics to watch out for:

- Fake websites: Scammers lure victims with competitive prices through counterfeit sites. Be cautious when buying anything from brands or websites you've never heard of—and even the brands you’re familiar with as they can be impersonated—especially if you were led to the website via a social media post.

- Fake parcel delivery messages: Scammers exploit 'parcel anxiety' by issuing fake delivery updates through SMS or email, asking you to click on dangerous links. Never click on these links and only use the provided tracking numbers.

In addition to these tips, it's crucial to maintain a healthy level of scepticism when shopping online.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Always double-check the legitimacy of the website and the seller before making a purchase.

If you're unsure, contact the company directly using contact information from their official website, not from the suspicious email or message.

In similar news, this season of generosity has led to the rise of a darker, more opportunistic side: charity scams.

Official data revealed that Australians lost a staggering $3.1 billion to scams last year, with a significant portion of these losses attributed to fake charity appeals.

Scammers are known to exploit people's genuine concern for others in their community, as was the case during the Black Summer bushfires.

Furthermore, many victims of charity scams are often too embarrassed to report their experiences or simply don't bother, leading to a significant underestimation of the scale of the problem.

You can read more about this here.

Key Takeaways

• Consumer scams typically peak in November and December and are up by 47 per cent from last year, according to data from Westpac Bank.
• More than half of all reported buying and selling scams in 2022 occurred in November and December.
• Westpac's research shows that around 38 per cent of Australians have encountered a scam through fake websites, online retailers, or marketplaces.
• Australians have lost $455 million to fraudsters between January and November this year, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch.

Have you or someone you know fallen victim to these scams? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below to help others stay safe this festive season.

 

[Suemac]

As the festive season approaches, Australians are being warned to stay vigilant against a rising tide of online scams.

With the holiday shopping craze in full swing, fraudsters are capitalising on the increased online activity, exploiting stretched budgets and time-poor customers.

According to recent data from Westpac, consumer scams, which typically peak in November and December, have surged by a staggering 47 per cent from last year.

Ben Young, Westpac's head of fraud, revealed that over half of all reported buying and selling scams in 2022 occurred in these two months.

View attachment 37392

Scammers target shoppers who are looking to save with online deals during the holiday season. Image source: rawpixel.com on Freepik.

'Scammers often target customers at this time of year when people are spending more and can sometimes be a bit more distracted,' Young said.

He also noted a 5 per cent increase in calls to Westpac's fraud team during the recent Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales.

'Our research shows more Aussies are also seeking out bargains to help fund their festive season. While this is a great way to make the Christmas budget stretch further, it unfortunately also means we might be more susceptible to fake offers promising sought-after items at competitive prices,' he added.

'Scammers also prey on “parcel anxiety” where many of us anxiously await an online delivery and trick us into clicking on links through fake tracking updates.'

Westpac's research showed that about 38 per cent of Australians had encountered a scam through fake websites, online retailers, or marketplaces.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch reported that Australians have lost a whopping $455 million to fraudsters between January and November this year.

So, how can you protect yourself from these cunning fraudsters?

Here are some common scam tactics to watch out for:

- Fake websites: Scammers lure victims with competitive prices through counterfeit sites. Be cautious when buying anything from brands or websites you've never heard of—and even the brands you’re familiar with as they can be impersonated—especially if you were led to the website via a social media post.

- Fake parcel delivery messages: Scammers exploit 'parcel anxiety' by issuing fake delivery updates through SMS or email, asking you to click on dangerous links. Never click on these links and only use the provided tracking numbers.

In addition to these tips, it's crucial to maintain a healthy level of scepticism when shopping online.

If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Always double-check the legitimacy of the website and the seller before making a purchase.

If you're unsure, contact the company directly using contact information from their official website, not from the suspicious email or message.

In similar news, this season of generosity has led to the rise of a darker, more opportunistic side: charity scams.

Official data revealed that Australians lost a staggering $3.1 billion to scams last year, with a significant portion of these losses attributed to fake charity appeals.

Scammers are known to exploit people's genuine concern for others in their community, as was the case during the Black Summer bushfires.

Furthermore, many victims of charity scams are often too embarrassed to report their experiences or simply don't bother, leading to a significant underestimation of the scale of the problem.

You can read more about this here.

Key Takeaways

• Consumer scams typically peak in November and December and are up by 47 per cent from last year, according to data from Westpac Bank.
• More than half of all reported buying and selling scams in 2022 occurred in November and December.
• Westpac's research shows that around 38 per cent of Australians have encountered a scam through fake websites, online retailers, or marketplaces.
• Australians have lost $455 million to fraudsters between January and November this year, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch.

Have you or someone you know fallen victim to these scams? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below to help others stay safe this festive season.

I received a phone call, from someone claiming to be from my bank. They asked for details that my bank already knew. I asked them to call me back, and took my phone into my bank. When they called back, I answered the phone, gave it to the teller, and she was able to confirm that this was a scam! Be wary of phone calls claiming to be your bank!

 

[Babbie]

I received a phone call, from someone claiming to be from my bank. They asked for details that my bank already knew. I asked them to call me back, and took my phone into my bank. When they called back, I answered the phone, gave it to the teller, and she was able to confirm that this was a scam! Be wary of phone calls claiming to be your bank!

This is nothing new with the bank scam calls. I don’t answer any calls if I don’t recognise the number. If it is important they will leave identify themselves and leave a message. Then you decide if you want to call them back. Simple really.

 

[David567]

When a scammer calls you and says there is $550.00 in an account waiting for you to claim. All you have to do is send $500 to a bitcoin account and we'll help you transfer it to your bank account. Log into your bank account and we'll get the transfer process started.
What do you do ? SUCKER !!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Liz]

There is a fake Telstra email coming out as well claiming to have your bill attached. Just look at the web address and you will see it is not Telstra. Just hit Shift and Delete to permanently delete it. My inbox is getting so many scam emails all I seem to be doing is hit this combination.