ANZ encourages customers to be alert to online scams ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping event

In 2022, the Black Friday - Cyber Monday shopping period generated more than $3 billion in retail spending, overtaking the Christmas and Boxing Day weekend by 24 per cent.

Sales for Black Friday, which falls on Friday 24 November, are again expected to increase in 2023, with spending over this period trending up by 9 per cent year on year since 2021.

According to ScamWatch, the same period is also the most lucrative for scammers. Australians lost almost $1.2 million to online shopping scams in November 2022.

ANZ Scams Portfolio Lead, Ruth Talalla said: “Scammers use hot button events like Black Friday to target people who may be trying to get a good deal online. During these key shopping events, we see an increase in spoofing and phishing scams.”

“We also see online ads and fake websites purporting to be reputable Australian retailers attempting to catch shoppers with incredible deals, such as 75 per cent off recommended retail price. We encourage customers to pause before buying anything online, whether during a sale or not, and check the website to ensure the details being presented are genuine,” she said.

Tips to stay safe online during Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales:

• Think before you click – a legitimate organisation will never ask you for personal information via a link in an email or by text and will always be accessible through an independent desktop search.
• Check the URL – make sure links begin with https and end with a reputable domain name like .org, .com, or .au. If you followed a link to get to the site, do a secondary search to confirm the site is genuine.  
• Read independent reviews – read reviews of the website you’re using before entering your card details at check out. Scammers may copy the branding and formatting of a reputable brand to trick shoppers.
• Check the payment method – question why an organisation would request payment with a gift card. Cryptocurrency and gift cards are often preferred by cyber-criminals because they’re difficult to trace.
• If it seems too good to be true, it probably is – while your favourite brand offering popular items at a heavily discounted rate may be enticing, always consider whether the offer is real before proceeding through the check out. If the same discount is not being offered by the brand in store, it is unlikely to be a genuine deal.

ANZ’s customer protection teams and systems operate 24/7. Customers who believe they may have been a victim of a scam should contact us immediately, on 13 33 50 or visit us at http://www.anz.com.au/security/report-fraud/ for more information.

For more information on the types of scams and how to protect yourself visit http://www.anz.com.au/security/types-of-scams.

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