When buying online this Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales trip ( 24- 27 November 2023 ), customers are being warned to be on the lookout for scam sites impersonating high-profile Asian merchants.
The National Anti-Scam Center has noticed a worrying rise in reports of fraudulent websites that pass for legitimate online financial locations owned by numerous well-known, high street brands.
There have been 2,760 reports of fake online stores so far this year, costing more than$ 500,000 in losses. Between 1 January and 30 September 2023, online shopping schemes cost Australian a total of over$ 6.2 million.
The consumer advisory is issued in advance of Black Friday, Cyber Monday sales weekend, when consumers are expected to spend an estimated$ 6.36 billion.
Scammers, according to ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe,” may try to take advantage of folks doing their Christmas shopping online during the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday time.”
” We have seen an alarming rise in reports of fake online shopping website hoaxes, which use the most recent technologies to appear to be real, well-known American clothing and clothing labels.”
” Scammers are paying for their bogus websites to show up at the top of your online search, which is a new, disturbing development.” This implies that you should n’t always believe the first listing you see, according to Ms. Lowe.
” Consumers may also want to become familiar with the website addresses of their preferred brands and manage it immediately or scroll down the search results to make sure they find the real web-site.”
Consumers should be aware that con artists set up fake stores and advertise their fraudulent websites on social media platforms, according to Ms. Lowe.
Retailers have been collaborating with the National Anti-Scam Center to stop fraud exercise. Additionally, it has published recommendations for companies affected by con artists impersonating them.
” We have concentrated our disruption work on this space, helping stores remove a number of fake sites,” Ms. Lowe said.” Cybercriminals have been primarily targeting clothing and footwear retail brands.”
” We applaud suppliers who have taken proactive measures to alert their customers to scam websites imitating their businesses.”
Year of ScamAwareness
The fake retail website scam is just one type of impersonation scam the National Anti-Scam Centre is warning about this Year of ScamAwareness(27 November – 1 December 2023).
More than 70 % of the 234, 672 information to Scamwatch in 2023 were caused by imitation schemes. There are many different types of imitation scams, ranging from text messages posing as banks to work postings pretending to be high-profile hiring firms and businesses.
The top three impersonation scams that received the most reports were road toll fraud ( 19, 141 reports ), Australian Government fraud ( 17,770 reports ) and” HiMum” family frauds (9, 307 ). The impersonation scams that cost the most money were frauds involving imposter bonds ($ 35 million ), business email compromise fraud ($ 14 million lost ), and bank fraud ( 11 % lost ).
According to Ms. Lowe,” Impersonation schemes have robbed Australian of$ 92 million this time.”
Because of this, we are urging customers to consider whether they truly know with whom they are communicating, whether it be online, by words, smartphone, or email, during Scams Awareness Week. Had you possibly be talking to a con artist?
Always pay with a direct bank loan, funds transfers, or digital currencies like Bitcoin when shopping online. Instead, look for independent reviews to see if they are legitimate. You can use a credit card or PayPal to give. Only for online shopping, you might want to keep a minute, low-credit card, according to Ms. Lowe.
Further information and resources on Year of ScamAwarenessare available here.
How false retail website frauds operate
- Scammers create phony store websites that pass for real online retail stores using the most recent technology. They might employ elaborate designs and styles, possibly stolen symbols, and even a” .com.” stolen Australian Business Number ( ABN ) and the domain name au.
- Many of these sites offer expensive goods at incredibly low prices, including well-known manufacturers of apparel, jewelry, and electronics. Sometimes you will get the item you paid for, but it will be a fake, and other times you wo n’t get anything at all.
- On social media sites, scammers even set up fictitious online businesses. They briefly opened the business and frequently sell bogus designer clothing or jewelry. The shops vanish after a few sales. Do n’t trust a website just because you’ve seen it advertised or shared on social media because they also use it to advertise their fake website. Before making a purchase, look for independent reviews on social media or seller websites to find out if the transaction is fraudulent.
safeguard yourself
- Be on the lookout for websites or vendors that advertise at extremely low prices, frequently less than similar items on other websites. Take your time and decide if a price is also good to be true.
- In” My Advertising Center,” you can review sponsored ads to Google. You may access this by clicking on the three stacked lines.
to the sponsored ad’s straight.
- Never use links in emails, SMS messages, or social media to access websites; often conduct your own independent search. Where available, use software from standard software businesses.
- Use secure devices, avoid common wifi, and make sure you set up multifactor authentication. Learn how to shop online safely by visiting https ://www.cyber.gov.au/protect-yourself/staying-secure-online/shopping-and-banking online/online shopping.
- You wo n’t be able to get your money back if you pay with a direct bank deposit, money transfers, or digital currencies like Bitcoin. PayPal or a credit card should be used to make payments. Only for online shopping, you might want to keep a second, low-credit cards.
Buying advice on how to avoid schemes
Quit- Do n’t feel compelled to take action on a package that is only being extended temporarily. Scammers will make you feel as though you need to act fast. Do n’t rush to take action. If the product being sold is genuine, give it some thought.
Consider the possibility that the site or the product being sold is fraudulent. Swindlers pose as reliable companies. To make sure the deal is genuine, look for independent reviews or get in touch with the merchant using the phone information you individually source.
Shield: If something feels off, take quick action. If you have lost income to a con artist, call your lender right away. Report to Scamwatch and ask IDCARE for assistance.