Don’t buy in to online shopping scams

According to Scam Watch data, more than $556,000 has been lost to 1213 buying or selling scams in South Australia already this year and more than $18.4 million to 19,183 scams across Australia overall.

In 2024, South Australians lost more than $1.4 million to 3747 buying or selling scams, compared to more than $26.9 million to 57,525 scams across Australia overall, with people aged 45 to 54 suffering the most losses.

“A products and services scam is an umbrella term that covers marketplace scams, fake health and medical products and online shopping, however the techniques used are consistent across all scams under this term,” Detective Chief Inspector Brett Featherby explained.

“While you’re on the hunt for a good deal, be aware that scammers are on the hunt for their next victim.

“A common method used are advertisements which offer products at unbelievably low prices and benefits that appear too good to be true.

“They may also ask you to pay for products and services using untraditional methods or may ask for deposits before receiving the product.”

Cyber Issue Reporting System (CIRS) reporting shows in South Australia for the 2024/25 financial year the most significant category by volume is where the victim was scammed out of between $100 and $500, representing 345 matters.

“More costly scams generally involve cars, caravans, tractors, airline travel and some high-value pets,” Detective Chief Inspector Featherby added.

“Don’t send advance payments for local items, and if you’re considering a high-value purchase meet the seller in a public, populated place and bring a friend or family member with you for pick-ups if you can.”

Red flags:

• Asking for payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards.
• Offerings that appear “too good to be true”.
• Requests for personal information when it may not be relevant.
• Asking for upfront fees or deposits before seeing goods.
• Websites that look like reputable companies but offer substantial discounts.

Tips to help keep you safe:

• When purchasing items online, only utilise secure payment methods that offer buyer protection such as credit cards or PayPal. Avoid unusual payment methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards.
• Conduct research on the business or property utilising google maps and other website archive tools. Although a company has an ABN, phone number, or address listed, these may not always be legitimate.
• Be wary of services that have too many positive reviews but lack any detail. Genuine reviews often include photos or comments about the service, with negative reviews providing valuable information.
• Beware of ‘email spoofing’ that occurs when someone forges the “From:” section of an email making it appear the email address is from a legitimate sender. Contact the sender using an alternative method.
• Check the URL for any misspellings or special characters included, even when you think you are on a trusted webpage.

Real-life example:

Tracey was planning a holiday for her family of four when she saw an advertisement offering return flights and accommodation for one day only at a very good price. She clicked on the advertisement and was taken to a website that looked like a reputable company. She even checked their ABN number which was registered to a company. Not wanting to miss out on this deal, Tracey completed the payment through a bank transfer. Upon arriving at her holiday destination, she discovered the hotel did not exist.

Report:

- If you have suffered harm or loss because of a scam, make a report at www.cyber.gov.au/report or attend your local police station.

Support:

- Talk to friends and family.

- eSafety Commissioner – www.esafety.gov.au

- Victims of Crime SA – www.voc.sa.gov.au

- Lifeline – 13 11 14 or www.lifeline.org.au

- Rebuild Victim Counselling – www.rasa.org.au