25.10.2025
20.11.2025
- Criminals preying on shoppers chasing online bargains
- Goods and services scams up 40% in 2025
- NAB expert shares how you can spot the red flags
Be alert. That’s the message from NAB’s fraud and scam experts on the eve of the nation’s biggest annual shopping period as criminals prey on shoppers hunting a bargain.
This year Black Friday and Cyber Monday are expected to generate $6.8 billion1 in sales this year with NAB data showing that, in recent years, approximately one in six retail sales during November occurred during the four-day period. Criminals are ramping up their efforts at the same time, launching an array of fake websites and social media posts in efforts to trick bargain hunters.
NAB data shows a nearly 40 percent increase in goods and services scam losses linked to social media, websites and online platforms2.
Goods and services scams – also known as shopping or buying and selling scams – can present in different ways.
Criminals often create sophisticated websites impersonating popular brands, also known as ‘ghost stores’, designed to be almost indistinguishable from legitimate ones. Unsuspecting shoppers find these fake sites by clicking on ads these crooks have bought on social media platforms, or at the top of an internet search.
Most of the time nothing will arrive, while sometimes the buyer will receive a counterfeit version of the item they’ve purchased or something completely random.
NAB Executive, Group Investigations Chris Sheehan, said criminals exploited the fact people were busy, time poor and often stressed in the lead up to Christmas.
Chris Sheehan, NAB Executive Group Investigations
“Crooks prey on this period every year. They know there’s an increase in online shopping and they launch new campaigns designed to trick Australians into handing over their cash,” Mr Sheehan, a former Australian Federal Police executive, said.
“They impersonate large, well-known brands, launch imitation websites, send out millions of phishing messages and ramp up their volume of social media posts designed to catch people out.
“These are not small-time crooks, these are global organised crime groups that are run like a business and they know this is their peak period.”
Mr Sheehan said the range of tactics used by criminals continues to evolve every year.
“Criminals will quickly move to scams impersonating delivery and postal services. These often involve a text message or email claiming your parcel couldn’t be delivered and asking you to click a link to update your details.”
“These grubs won’t stop and are working around the clock to launch new methods to scam people, so it’s important to be alert and aware of the red flags to help you avoid being dupped.”
Chris’ top tips to avoid being caught out:
- Look closely at website URLs for any signs they may be illegitimate.
- Watch out for well-known brands selling items online at prices too good to be true. Where you can, give the store a call to double-check a sale price.
- Be careful not to fall for social media impersonation ads; never click on links you see on social media ads, always visit legitimate sites to make a purchase.
- Be alert to phishing messages; look for poor formatting, grammar mistakes, or messages that create urgency or promise unrealistic rewards.
Mr Sheehan said that shopping scams were a great example of why industry collaboration was critical to stopping the crime before it happened.
“We’re seeing our customers abandon over $1,000,000 worth of payments every day after receiving a real-time payment alert in our digital channels, so we know these alerts are helping people to pause before they pay and helping to disrupt the scam ecosystem before its too late”.
Stay up to date with the latest scams and fraud information available at nab.com.au/security, opens in new window.
Notes:
2 Increase observed between January 2025 – July 2025 (compared to prior corresponding period July 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024)
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