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Estimated reading time is 3 minutes.
Estimated reading time is 3 minutes.
Online shopping events throughout the year such as Black Friday, Cyber Monday and sales around Christmas, Boxing Day and end of financial year can be a great time to find a bargain. Unfortunately however, criminals see these shopping events as an opportunity to get in on some of the profit and make some cash. In 2019, reported losses from online shopping scams were over $4 million according to Scamwatch. This is well in excess of the 2018 total figure of $3.28 million.
This article will help you understand and hopefully avoid common online scams by looking out for known red flags.
Even during special sales, it pays to be curious when offered an incredible bargain. If the price advertised for your purchase is just too good to be true, it’s worth investigating further. It’s a good idea to look at other websites to compare and investigate the store making the offer before making the purchase.
If you find an item being sold by an online store that you’ve never dealt with, do some checks before making a purchase to ensure they’re legitimate. Do they have genuine social media pages? What is their refund policy? Consider doing a Google search and reading their reviews. Check the look and feel of their site including the resolution of branding and pictures. If you can’t determine if they’re genuine, it may be better to stick to a reputable store that you’re familiar with. This is especially true if the online store is overseas, as there’s no guarantee you’ll get your money back if it turns out to be a scam.
Those bright and shiny ads that pop up on your screen when shopping online or using social media are clever and persistent marketing tactics looking to promote products or services. They can also be used to deliver malicious software, direct you to dodgy webpages, or fake sales. Check that your device’s virus protection is installed, working, and up to date, with a pop-up blocker. NAB has anti-virus software offers for customers.
Advertisements on many social media websites can also lead to fake offers, fake websites and cryptocurrency scams. To check out a deal, head to the genuine website or app independently to validate any offers that seem too good to be true.
Also be on the lookout for suspicious emails or text messages. If you receive an email or SMS with a sale campaign go to the app or type the address into your browser to make sure you’re accessing the genuine online store. Criminals commonly use SMS and emails to direct people to fake websites looking to steal personal or financial information. Learn more about how to spot a phishing message.
Data is a valuable resource, so it may seem attractive to save your own data and use the free Wifi offered by many retail stores. Unfortunately, these connections are often unsecure and are targeted by criminals to gain access to devices and data being shared on that network. If you have to use public Wifi, consider using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to create a secure tunnel. Without this, reconsider doing any banking, or make purchases using your card, as this information may be exposed and open to misuse.
Follow these tips to help keep your identity and your money safe online.
While personal vigilance is the best method of protection, our security teams work 24/7 to keep customers safe. If we spot suspicious activity with your cards or online transfers, we’ll take appropriate actions and contact you to confirm if it’s genuine or not.
Read our buying and selling scams article for more information about staying safe while shopping online, or visit the ACCC Scamwatch website.
If you’re a NAB customer and believe you may have fallen victim to a scam, please call 13 22 65 immediately and ask for the Digital Fraud and Scams Team.
Australian Government | Australian Cyber Security Centre and Stay Smart Online
The Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) brings cyber security capabilities from across the Australian Government together into a single location. It’s the hub for private and public sector collaboration and information sharing to combat cyber security threats. ACSC’s Stay Smart Online provides topical, relevant and timely information on how home internet users and small businesses can protect themselves from, and reduce the risk of, cyber security threats such as software vulnerabilities, online scams, malicious activities, and risky online behaviours.
Australian Government | ReportCyber
ReportCyber is a secure reporting and referral service for cybercrime and online incidents which may be in breach of Australian law. The ReportCyber website provides a cybercrime reporting mechanism as well as helpful information about cybercrime.
Australian Competition and Consumer Commission | Scamwatch
Scamwatch provides information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report scams using publications, videos and other online resources.
Australian Government | Office of the eSafety Commissioner
The Office of the eSafety Commissioner provides online safety education for Australian children and young people, a complaints service for young Australians who experience serious cyberbullying, and address illegal online content.
Australian Government | Attorney-General’s Department
The Attorney-General’s Department website provides helpful information and resources about your rights and protections in regards to identity security, freedom of information and cyber security. The Department has developed a range of resources to assist people protect their identity and recover from the effects of identity crime.
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