- Published:
- Thursday 13 November 2025 at 8:56 am
When online shopping activity surges, so does cybercrime.
Common scams to watch out for over the holidays
- Online shopping scams: Fake websites or sellers that take your money but never send the item.
- Phishing and smishing: Scams that come as emails or text messages that look like they're from real companies such as banks, retailers, or delivery services and designed to trick you into giving away personal or financial information.
- AI-generated scams: AI is being used in scams to create convincing deepfake videos. This festive season, watch out for fake videos of celebrities appearing to promote products, it could be an online shopping scam.
It's an expensive time of the year, with Victorians losing millions to scams.
To stay safe online
Follow these simple tips:
- Secure all your accounts. Use strong, unique passwords or passphrases for every account login and turn on multi-factor authentication (MFA) wherever available.
- Keep your devices and networks secured. Install updated software on your smartphone, tablet and laptop. Only use trusted networks, such as your home Wi-Fi or mobile data.
- Be careful saving payment information to online shopping accounts. If you do, turn on MFA to further protect your information.
- Buy from sellers you trust. Stick to well-known retailers or verified sellers. If you're unsure, check reviews before entering payment details.
- Stay alert after you buy. Watch out for fake delivery texts and refund emails. Don't click suspicious links or enter personal information.
Learn more easy-to-follow expert advice at Stay safe online.
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