Consumer Protection commissioner warns Christmas shoppers of online scammers

With the festive season almost underway, Christmas shoppers have been warned of the growing risk of online scams.

Fresh data from WA ScamNet revealed nearly 400 WA shoppers had fallen victim to online scams in 2024.

A staggering $308,628 was stolen from 277 people shopping on online marketplaces, with scammers demanding payment upfront and creating fake listings.

A further $172,704 was swiped from 95 shoppers who had made purchases from online retailers.

Consumer Protection Commissioner Trish Blake said online shopping scams were expected to soar over the holiday period.

“Online marketplace scammers create fake profiles or hack existing social media accounts to try to deceive consumers out of their money, personal information and identification documents,” she said.

“Maintaining a healthy scepticism when using these platforms can help keep you safe from scams.

“Look into the seller’s marketplace activity and ratings, and do an internet search of their name and photos to see if they belong to someone else.

“They will do whatever it takes to gain your trust — from stealing the details and logos of a genuine business to using AI deepfake technology to impersonate celebrities.”

Ms Blake said shoppers should beware of fake websites that steal the identities of popular retailers and sell products at a very low price.

“Stay away from websites that only accept payment via bank transfer or cryptocurrencies as it’s nearly impossible to recover funds once sent,” she said.

“Instead, look for secure payment options like credit cards or PayPal, which offer better protection and allow for chargebacks in case of issues.”

Christmas shoppers will be able to make safer in-store purchases from December 2 after the State Government approved an additional 35 trading for general retail stores in the Perth metropolitan area.

Sunday and public holiday trading has also been extended by an extra four hours daily.