Black Friday-Cyber Monday scams explained: how they work, common red flags and ways to protect yourself

How the scam works

Shopping scams - also known as buying and selling or goods and services scams - can present in different ways.

Criminals create sophisticated websites impersonating popular fashion and footwear labels and designed to be almost indistinguishable from the brand's legitimate one. They'll often feature images of current season clothing and stolen logos along with ABNs.

Shoppers often find these fake sites after clicking on ads criminals have bought on social media platforms or at the top of an internet search. They're generally only exist for a short period of time before criminals move on to the next brand.

Most of the time nothing will arrive, while sometimes the buyer will receive a counterfeit version of the item they've purchased or something completely random.

Another type of shopping scams are gift card scams.

These see criminals pose as a legitimate business, government organisation or authority figure via email or text message. They'll claim the person has an outstanding tax or online service bill and may even threaten arrest or court action if steps aren't taken.

The victim is tricked into buying gift cards to pay the debt. This happens by sharing card numbers and PINs, often by texting a photo. The criminals then quickly redeem the gift cards, leaving the victim out of pocket.

Common red flags

• The item is significantly discounted or less than the RRP.
• Being directed to the online store via a social media ad or shop or a sponsored search result.
• Urgency or pressure to take action. For example buy an item before it sells out or being threatened with arrest if you do not pay a bill via gift card.
• Extra or missing letters in the domain name or sending email address.
• Unusual payment requests like payment via a gift card.
• Communication stops once you've purchased the item.

Ways to protect yourself

• Follow social media accounts and groups for your favourite brands. Users often post fake websites and social media accounts as they appear.
• If you are unsure if the website or social media shop or ad is legitimate, close the browser and manually type the brand's name in a reputable search engine.
• Establish where the business is based. It is much easier to dispute a purchase with Australian-based companies than ones overseas.
• Don't share gift card numbers and codes with anyone.
• Seek a second opinion from trusted family and friends.

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