Online Scam Awareness over the Christmas Period
The start of the holiday season is a great time to secure an online bargain however caution should be used to protect yourself from potential scams.
Common methods being used by scammers include text messages, e-mails, and social media with the intention of tricking the consumer into revealing account information or financial details. If a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is!
Here are top tips from the Financial and Cyber Crime Group on how to stay safe while shopping the online sales.
- Shop with reputable retailers or online stores. Double check those marketing emails or those social media pop up ads to ensure they are from legitimate stores – look at the email address, hover over any links without clicking on them to see where you are getting sent to.
- If you find a bargain, add it to your cart, but don’t go directly to the payment page – check out the rest of the site by using a search engine, look at the URL, see what other items are for sale, don’t be pressured into making a rash decision through fear of missing out.
- Make sure that the payment details are encrypted – look for the prefix “https” in the URL and a padlock icon in the URL bar and use a secure payment method. Pay by PayPal or your credit/debit card.
- Avoid engaging with unexpected shopping and shipping messages. Go directly to a legitimate source.
To learn more about scams, visit www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you have been the victim of a cybercrime, you can report this online at ReportCyber.
If you have lost money, notify your bank immediately.
A/Sergeant – Officer in Charge Teresa OSBORNE
Logan Village Yarrabilba Police Station
1-5 River Street, Logan Village
Monday & Wednesday 07 3382 9677
POLICE LINK (non urgent) Ph 131 444
In any emergency please phone 000
