Shoppers warned ahead of Christmas time scams

AS CHRISTMAS draws closer, the amount of online shopping climbs, with customers being warned not to fall victim to the holiday scams.

Scammers are accelerating into the festive season with fake delivery messages and emails on the rise and illegitimate websites taking advantage of Black Friday sales.

On Facebook Marketplace, scammers act as interested buyers, sending links or codes to fake services, claiming that a courier will collect the item once payment is made.

In the coming weeks residents will also expect more deliveries arriving at their doors, with Australia Post chief information security officer Adam Cartwright urging customers to track parcels using the AusPost app and ignore text messages requesting personal details.

“As the pre-Christmas sales ramp up and more Aussies are expecting deliveries, scammers are exploiting that anticipation and urgency to trick people into clicking fake links or handing over personal information.

“If you receive a message asking for personal or payment details, you can be confident it’s not from us.”

Shoppers are reminded not to click on any suspicious links and that Australia Post will never ask for personal or financial details over phone, text or email.

People are also urged to be cautious when shopping deals online to be wary of any unbelievably low prices.

“Scammers love Black Friday sales too because they know shoppers are looking for bargains and they rely on creating urgency and pressure that can come with a busy shopping period,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.

“We remind customers to take their time to check the legitimacy of websites and its offers and be cautious about sharing personal or financial information online.

“A few simple checks before making a purchase can make all the difference in avoiding a scam and keeping your money safe.”

Shoppers should also check their bank statements online often, looking through the transaction history and reporting anything suspicious as soon as they spot it.

For more information and tips on avoiding scams, head to accc.gov.au