How to make sure your Christmas surprise isn’t a scammer on the prowl

Listen to Australian and world news, and follow trending topics with
SBS News Podcasts.
TRANSCRIPT
With Black Friday just around the corner, and Christmas only a month away, consumers have already written Santa’s list for the holiday season.
For those who made it on this year’s “nice” list, there are plans for many gifts under the tree, set to be unwrapped bright and early on Christmas Day.
Those carefully laid out plans however, could be laid to waste by aspiring grinches, who take the form of online fraudsters.
Australia Post Executive General Manager Enterprise Services, Michael McNamara, says this is the season where the risk of a potential scam increases.
“Reminding Australians to stay vigilant against scams over the Black Friday and Christmas sales periods. As online shopping volumes increase, so does the risk of scams, targeting parcel deliveries via text, phone calls and emails.”
Danielle Grant, Consumer Shopping Expert at PayPal Australia, explains why it is more likely for shoppers to be hit by a scam during this period.
“It’s really a great time to get a bargain at the moment, with more than 90 per cent of Australians telling us they plan to shop (at) the End-Of-Year sales. And it’s really to help manage costs, is one of the leading reasons why. It’s important however with this sense of urgency and the limited time offers creating a sense of urgency, that we slow down and really click with caution. Scams are becoming more sophisticated than ever. And we know that even our younger and more digital native generations like Gen Z are more likely to be targeted by a safe website at 44 per cent compared to the average of 30 per cent of Australians.”
With shoppers on the hunt for discounts on their most desirable products, online scammers also become more active during this period.
While the federal government has taken significant steps to reduce fraudulent activity over the internet recently, such as the announcement of the scams prevention framework, it has done little to deter the scammers.
PayPal Australia’s Danielle Grant shares some distressing figures that she says have shaken online consumer confidence.
“The ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) have recently reported last year that there were 3,000 fraudulent websites that resulted in the loss of nearly half a million dollars for Australians. And so that’s substantial. These scammers, they do use times like End-Of-Year sales to exploit the excitement and tap into that limited time offer anxiety. In saying that however, our PayPal research is showing that three-quarters of Australians have abandoned an online purchase in the past due to safety concerns.”
Data from a Pollfish survey has revealed that 75 per cent of Australians believe scams are becoming more and more believable each day.
There is a silver lining however, with consumers becoming more wary of any suspicious activity as they shop online.
Australia Post’s Michael McNamara shares some other findings that provide more insight regarding the Australian consumer sentiment on scams.
“Our research tells us that over 70 per cent of Australians report delivery and package scams as the most common. While only one in five Aussies are more likely to fall for a scam during the sales periods, 75 per cent believe that scams are becoming increasingly more convincing. This is why we’re reminding customers to be extra cautious as they prepare for more parcel deliveries over the coming weeks.”
Consumers can take steps to remain safe in their online shopping journeys and to ensure their money goes where it is meant to.
Keeping tabs of a package delivery and making a report if they notice any suspicious movements is just one of the many ways shoppers can be sure they have not been scammed.
Mr McNamara recommends a few others.
“We recommend using apps from trusted retailers and service providers. When in doubt, don’t click on links and never provide personal details unless you are certain of the source. Using the Australia Post app is a safe and secure way to receive delivery updates and track your parcels.”
Ms Grant shares some extra advice for those who choose to do this year’s Christmas shopping online.
“There’s a few easy ways to really keep your eyes peeled for a scam. Like look for the padlock in the URL bar, avoid clicking on any unknown messages that have a sale link. Does the website have any contact information on the “about us” page? Are there grammatical errors on any of the pages? And always ask yourself, is it offering a secure way to pay. Naturally, just slow down. You don’t want to unwrap a scam for Christmas so trust your instincts and if an offer feels too good to be true, it’s probably because it is.”
Based on all this information regarding fraudulent online activity picking up during the holiday season, some shoppers are opting for a more traditional approach:
…Choosing to make their purchases in-store, so consumers ensure that they know where their money is going and that they don’t need to go through the stressful wait of package delivery.
… and going back to the old-style burdens of waiting in long queues to pay for your holiday gifts and trying to fit everything in the boot of your car.