The warning comes with Black Friday sales taking place this week.
Scamwatch has already received 12,000 reports of online shopping scams in 2020, an increase of 42 per cent on last year.
“More people have been shopping online this year due to COVID-19 restrictions and scammers are now targeting people doing their Christmas shopping, including in the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission deputy chair Delia Rickard said.
“Scammers create fake websites that look like genuine online stores, offering products at very low prices and victims will either receive a fake item or nothing at all.
“They also post fake ads on classified websites, often claiming they are travelling and someone else will deliver the goods, but the item never arrives, and the victim can no longer contact the seller.”
Data from the ACCC also revealed people under the age of 24 had been involved in the most incidents involving technology.
“Watch out for popular products being sold at prices much lower than on other websites and sellers requesting payment through direct bank transfer or cryptocurrency,” Ms Rickard said.
“Take the time to consider who you are dealing with and don’t be pressured by special offers.
“Do your research by checking independent reviews of online stores or the seller’s history on classified websites.”
People are also being warned about fraudulent text messages being sent, with scammers pretending to be delivery services.
“Australia Post will never ask you to click a link to enter your personal details, nor will they ask for credit card details or a fee to deliver your packages,” Ms Rickard said.
“If you have been the victim of a scam, contact your bank as soon as possible and contact the platform on which you were scammed to inform them of the circumstances.”
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