Stop — Think — Protect

Scammers do not take holidays, but by being cautious and vigilant you can protect yourself during this gift-giving season.  

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) indicate that there has been an ever-increasing rise in scams.  The scams are elaborate involving fake online storefronts to counterfeit products, misleading deals whilst cryptocurrency scams represent a substantial portion of the losses incurred this year.  We are encouraged to slow down and ask if we really know who we are communicating with, as scammers are getting better at impersonating businesses and organisations.  

Scammers deliberately place pressure on you and make you feel like you need to act quickly.  For example they may claim that there has been suspicious activity with your bank account.  Don’t rush……take a moment to consider, is this a scam?

Impersonation scams are also on the rise with road toll scams, the “hi Mum” family impersonation scams, Australian Government impersonation scams, jobs and employment scams where scammers impersonate employment agencies and high profile employers amongst others.  

Scammers mostly contact you via text message, telephone or online.  Do not be afraid to hang up the telephone if they call you – it is not rude to protect yourself from scams.  If the caller is legitimate they won’t mind you calling them back but ensure you have sourced their contact information independently.

The ACCC advise that there are a number of scams for us to look out for during this festive season including:

1. Classified Scams – this type of scam targets people selling unwanted items via online marketplaces such as Facebook Marketplace, they utilise fake profiles and impersonate PayID authorities; they will ask sellers to update their details or send additional funds to allow a transaction to take place.
2. Online shopping scams – scammers are creating near-perfect replicas of major retailers’ websites to dupe you.
3. Parcel scams – as many of us are expecting a delivery of online shopping orders or gifts over this festive season, scammers send fake text messages about your parcel being delayed or that it requires payment for the parcel to be redirected.  These scammers then ask for private information that is used to scam you by impersonating your bank.  
4. Package delivery theft – having a package stolen is so disheartening. If you are worried about packages sitting outside your home, have the parcel delivered to a more secure place like your local Post Office or to a PO box, or to a friend or family member who can be present for the delivery.
5. Gift card scams – gift cards are a convenient way to give this Christmas. A common scam is where someone claims to be a family member or friend who needs money urgently and is insistent that you give it to them.  If someone is demanding payment via a gift card, assume it is a scam and refuse.  If you are buying a gift card as a gift this Christmas, please purchase them from a retailer or supermarket ensuring that they are legitimate.
6. Charity scams – many of us tend to give more to charities at this time of year.  Scammers realise this and take advantage of this through online fake charities and some may even telephone you to request a donation or to thank you for your non-existent donation, asking for more.  Please research the charity you are donating to, charities that are registered are regulated by the Australian Charities and Non-for-profits Commission (ACNC).  You can search for your charity on this site.  Please do not donate money by gift card, cryptocurrency or wire transfer.
7. Holiday rental scams – as families seek to go away for their holidays, fraudsters will post rental properties online that don’t actually exist.  As soon a you show some interest, they will try and get you off the app to communicate with them directly and submit payment, this reduces the ability to trace the transaction and get your money back.  Always book your holidays through known travel sites or travel agents.  Keep all conversations and transactions in person or within the app if possible.  

There are many other scams in addition to the above few.  

If you do fall for a scam, do not be ashamed – but do report it to Scamwatch.  If you require assistance, visit the Scamwatch get help page.  Don’t forget to change your password and PINs, do this straight away if you believe your security has been compromised.

There’s so much to love and enjoy about the Christmas season that you don’t want to ruin the fun and joy of having to deal with Christmas scams.  Keep alert and have a scam-free and Merry Christmas.

By Kate Baines 

Courtesy of scamwatch.gov.au and accc.gov.au

Published: 15 December 2023