Online Shopping Scams

Scamwatch says shopping scammers set up fake websites and create fake profiles on real retailer sites, and can also post fake ads and fake reviews. The classic version is a store that looks like a retailer you know, reached through a social-media or search ad. The ACCC said in 2023 that these sites can use stolen logos, a '.com.au' domain name and a stolen Australian Business Number, and that scammers were paying for fake websites to appear at the top of search results. A 'closing-down', 'warehouse clearance' or 'fire sale' story explains the impossible prices; the ACCC says the item sometimes arrives but is fake, and other times nothing arrives at all. A second family hands you something. Woolworths says products on fake shopping sites are often advertised as heavily discounted or free, often after a short survey, with only a small shipping fee payable. Coles has warned about sponsored Google ads for a '$500 Coles gift card' and about messages asking customers to log in to claim 'Coles Rewards points' that are about to expire. The prize is bait; the survey, postage fee and login page collect your card details and password. A third family claims a problem with your order. Amazon describes 'order confirmation scams' as unexpected messages, often about an unauthorised purchase, that ask you to act urgently to confirm or cancel it. The same pattern appears as 'payment declined' or 'order on hold' messages in any retailer's name. Missed-delivery and redelivery-fee texts are covered under delivery scams. Marketplaces add buyer and seller versions: Scamwatch says scammers set up accounts as sellers on marketplaces such as Facebook, Gumtree and eBay. None of the polish proves a store is real: the ACCC says scammers can fake registration numbers and other identification, and a padlock only means the connection is encrypted. The safe move is to reach the retailer yourself and check any order, voucher or points balance inside your own account.

These composed examples show how the scam typically reads, with the tells that give each one away. Compare them against anything you've received.

Anyone who buys online, which is most households, and anyone selling secondhand goods on a marketplace. Bargain hunters after a big-ticket item such as a TV are easier to catch, because a steep discount is the attraction. Loyalty-program members get points and voucher texts, since a points balance feels like money already earned. Friends of anyone whose social-media account is hijacked are targeted too: the ACCC says compromised accounts are increasingly used to reach victims' personal networks, particularly on Facebook and Instagram.

These scams run all year, but sales periods give them cover, because a too-good-to-be-true offer looks more believable when genuine sales are on. In November 2025 the ACCC's Deputy Chair said scammers love Black Friday sales because shoppers are looking for bargains and the scammers rely on the urgency and pressure of a busy shopping period.

• A price far below other sellers, which Scamwatch lists as a warning sign, usually explained by a 'closing-down' or 'clearance' story
• A store reached through a social-media or search ad that you can't match to the retailer's own site; the ACCC said in 2023 that scammers pay for fake websites to appear at the top of search results
• A prize, voucher, gift card or points balance you didn't earn, especially one needing a short survey, a share or like, or a small postage fee; Coles lists sharing or liking a Facebook post for gift cards or vouchers among the requests to be wary of
• A 'payment declined', 'order on hold' or 'confirm your order' message that sends you to a link for your card details instead of your account, with a deadline such as 'expires tonight'; Coles says many scams specify timeframes to rush people before they have time to think
• An unusual way to pay: Scamwatch lists money orders, pre-loaded cards, gift cards, Bitcoin or several different PayIDs, and a payee name that doesn't match who you think you're paying
• A buyer or seller who wants to leave the platform, or a buyer who overpays and asks for the difference back; eBay says moving a deal off eBay means neither side is covered by its protection programs

1. 1Call your bank or card provider straight away and ask them to stop transactions or dispute the charge; the ACCC says time limits may apply to a card provider reversing a charge
2. 2Keep screenshots of the ad, store and messages, plus receipts and order emails
3. 3Change the password for that retailer, and anywhere else you reused it
4. 4If you shared identity details such as your date of birth or licence, contact IDCARE (idcare.org) for free identity support
5. 5Report the ad, listing or profile to the platform where you found it, and tell the retailer being impersonated
6. 6Report the scam to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au), and to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au) if you lost money

Where to report it

• Scamwatch — Report the scam to the ACCC's national scam service.
• ReportCyber — Report cybercrime and financial loss to the police.
• ACMA — Complain about scam texts and spam SMS, email or calls.
• Forward to 7226 (SCAM) — Forward the scam SMS to short code 7226 so carriers can block the source.
• IDCARE — Free identity and cyber support if your details were taken.

• Reach the retailer through its app or an address you type yourself, not through an ad, text or email, and don't assume the first search result is the real website, as Scamwatch advises
• Search for independent reviews on other sites before buying from a store you don't know; Scamwatch says not to rely on reviews written on the website itself
• Pay in a way you can dispute: the ACCC says a card provider may reverse a charge in some situations if you didn't receive what you paid for, and that time limits may apply
• Check any order, voucher or points balance inside the retailer's own app or account; eBay says that if it sent an email, a copy will appear in your eBay Messages, and Amazon says authentic emails from it are logged in its Message Centre
• Treat a prize you didn't enter, or a free voucher with a fee attached, as a scam; Scamwatch says not to pay a fee to collect winnings or a prize
• If a friend's account posts a deal or prize, check with them by phone or text instead, as the ACCC suggests
• Use a different password for each shopping account, and forward scam texts to 7226 (spells SCAM), then delete them

The ACCC said in November 2025 that shopping scams were the most reported scam type involving financial loss so far that year, with reported losses of $8.6 million, up 19 per cent on the same period in 2024. Retailers now publish their own examples: Coles lists fake gift card ads, 'Coles Rewards points' texts and a fraudulent site referencing Coles Best Buys, and Woolworths describes fake shopping sites and apps. The most dependable check is inside your own account or app.

Scammers often impersonate these names in online shopping scams. Here's how to tell a genuine message from a fake:

• Aldi
• Amazon
• Big W
• Bunnings
• Chemist Warehouse
• Coles
• Dan Murphy's
• eBay
• Harvey Norman
• IKEA
• JB Hi-Fi
• Kmart
• Officeworks
• Target
• The Good Guys
• Woolworths
• Adidas
• Lululemon
• Nike
• Ray-Ban
• UGG Australia
• Bose
• Dyson
• Samsung

• Buying and selling scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
• Website scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
• Unexpected money scams (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
• Report a scam (Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre))
• Checking a business is genuine (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC))
• Buying online (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC))
• Australians report nearly $260M in losses as shopping scams surge (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC))
• Shopping for online bargains this Black Friday weekend? Make sure it's the real deal (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC))
• Scam Alerts (Woolworths)
• Protect yourself from Scams (Coles)
• Offering to buy or sell outside of eBay policy (eBay Australia)
• Recognising phishing phone calls and emails (eBay Australia)
• Scam trends (Amazon Australia)