Online shoppers beware!
Many Aussies will turn to online shopping options for Christimas this year – if they haven't already.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) is warning likely online shoppers to watch out for scams that have so far fleeced Aussie online shoppers of a combined $7 million this year.
Losses to online shopping scams have increased 42 per cent this year, with Scamwatch receiving over 12,000 reports of online shopping scams to date.
“More people have been shopping online this year due to COVID-19 restrictions and scammers are now targeting people doing their Christmas shopping, including in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard.
“Scammers create fake websites that look like genuine online stores, offering products at very low prices and victims will either receive a fake item or nothing at all.
“They also post fake ads on classified websites, often claiming they are travelling and someone else will deliver the goods, but the item never arrives and the victim can no longer contact the seller.”
And its not just eBay that's a happy hunting ground for scammers – scam reports on Facebook Marketplace and Gumtree have increased by 60 per cent this year, to a cost of $4.5 million.
Scams likely involve consumer goods, such as shoes, phones, computers and toys, continue to be high.
But puppies and other pets were the most commonly used bait.
“Watch out for popular products being sold at prices much lower than on other websites and sellers requesting payment through direct bank transfer or cryptocurrency,” said Ms Rickard.
“Take the time to consider who you are dealing with and don’t be pressured by special offers.
“Do your research by checking independent reviews of online stores or the seller’s history on classified websites.”
Fake parcel delivery notifications via text message or email are also running rife this time of year.
“Australia Post will never ask you to click a link to enter your personal details, nor will they ask for credit card details or a fee to deliver your packages,” said Ms Rickard.
“If you have been the victim of a scam, contact your bank as soon as possible and contact the platform on which you were scammed to inform them of the circumstances.”
Check out the Scamwatch website for more information.
Have you ever been taken by an online shopping scam?
Using Paypal is a good safe guard as they have already vetted the site.