{"id":166929,"date":"2025-08-08T04:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T18:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/?p=166929"},"modified":"2025-08-07T10:45:51","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T00:45:51","slug":"staying-safe-while-shopping-online","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/timesnewsgroup.com.au\/surfcoasttimes\/news\/staying-safe-while-shopping-online\/","title":{"rendered":"Staying safe while shopping online"},"content":{"rendered":"

IN A DAY and age where online purchases continue to rise, so does the prevalence of scams and Victoria Police are warning people to\u00a0stay vigilant.<\/p>\n

Sophisticated scammers can send text messages that appear to come from legitimate sender IDs, sometimes even showing up in the same thread as real messages.<\/p>\n

This makes them harder to detect and easier for people to fall for them.<\/p>\n

People are encouraged to always remember to:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Never open suspicious links<\/p>\n

Never reply to suspicious messages<\/p>\n

Always check the URL is legitimate, or navigate to the website independently instead of clicking links.<\/p>\n

Expecting a delivery? Only use the official app or website of the delivery service to track your parcels or update your details.<\/p>\n

Scammers are also becoming more savvy online, tricking people into paying for fake products or services, often setting up fake profiles\u00a0or websites.<\/p>\n

Often deals offered by these scammers are too good to be true and will request people to pay them using unusual methods.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Advanced scammers are able to send messages that seem to come from trusted sources.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

To prevent being scammed while shopping, people are reminded to<\/strong><\/p>\n

Research the seller<\/p>\n

Make sure the website is secure<\/p>\n

Keep their identity safe<\/p>\n

Pay safely<\/p>\n

Exchange goods safely<\/p>\n

Sell safely.<\/p>\n

People who believe they have been scammed while shopping online should immediately contact their bank and change their passwords.<\/p>\n

For more information and to report cybercrime, scams, fraud and online abuse, head to police.vic.gov.au\/cybercrime-fraud-scams-online-safety<\/a><\/p>\n

\/\/SPONSORED CONTENT<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

IN A DAY and age where online purchases continue to rise, so does the prevalence of scams and Victoria Police are warning people to\u00a0stay vigilant. Sophisticated scammers can send text messages that appear to come from legitimate sender IDs, sometimes even showing up in the same thread as real messages. This makes them harder to […]<\/p>\n

Read More…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":156,"featured_media":167189,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"post_folder":[],"class_list":["post-166929","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nStaying safe while shopping online - Surf Coast Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Stay safe while shopping online! 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