Data from the Australian Signals Directorate shows that online shopping fraud was amongst the top three cyber crimes for individuals in Australia in 2023-24.
Credit: SBS News
“I was very young, and I was obviously very gullible,” he told SBS News.
The most recent scam involved a more subtle fraud known as a “website scam” when he bought Halloween costumes from an online store.
Holidays are when online scams boom
According to ScamWatch, in a website scam, “scammers create fake websites to look like well-known brands. They impersonate famous people and make it look like they recommend the product or service. They use fake reviews to make you trust them”.
“The scams work so much better when it’s a festive thing like Christmas, Boxing Day, or Halloween … because nobody really cares about the credibility of the store that they’re purchasing from.”
More scam risks as Australians spend big on Boxing Day
With Australians expected to spend $1.3 billion on Boxing Day this year, according to the Australian Retailers Association, concerns about online shopping scams are on the rise.
Credit: SBS News
Bonnie Brady, consumer shopping expert at online payment platform PayPal Australia, said: “Many victims fall for scams because they seem to offer an unbeatable deal, especially during busy shopping periods like Boxing Day sales.”
The Australian Federal Police-led Joint Policing Cybercrime Coordination Centre has also urged “consumers to be vigilant of online shopping scams” on Boxing Day.
‘Risky’ shopping practices on the rise in Australia
The report shows that 10 per cent of Australians have made an online transaction through a fraudulent website, and 30 per cent have been lured to visit a fake website.
According to the latest PayPal research, 91 per cent of Australians say they have encountered a scam, with emails (77 per cent), calls (72 per cent), or texts (71 per cent) being the most common methods. Source: SBS News
It also reveals that 91 per cent of Australians have encountered a sort of scam.
“It’s always a good idea to pause, think, and verify, no matter how urgent something seems.”
How to shop safely online
- Don’t click on links in unverified communications; instead, go directly to a store’s official website to access deals.
- If a promotional email starts with “Dear user” or “Hello customer” rather than with your name, then you should report it as phishing.
- Think twice before sharing sensitive information such as your credit card number, password, or even security questions like your first dog’s name.
- If the website looks a little suspicious, don’t click on anything and check for a URL starting with “https” and the closed padlock symbol.
- Stop and take stock while browsing online. Scammers often dial up the pressure with “urgent action required” or “limited time offer” messages, hoping you’ll panic and take a risk.
- Before hitting the checkout button, it’s worth taking the extra moment to limit distractions and check — if a deal seems too good to be true, it might be.
- Check to see if the website you want to buy from has secure payment methods.