Scammers targeting Telstra customers with new text scam

As Black Friday approaches, cyber crime detectives are issuing a warning to online shoppers about the increasing threat of scams. Victoria Police has reported a surge in reports of fraudulent websites posing as legitimate retailers, with more than $500,000 already lost this year to fake stores.

The scam websites are becoming increasingly sophisticated, mimicking the branding and design of real retailers to deceive consumers. They may even use a .com.au domain, a stolen ABN, and pay for better placement in search results to appear more legitimate.

Victorian Police Cybercrime Squad Detective Sergeant John Cheyne advises shoppers to always check for a secure connection on websites (look for ‘https’), and manually type in the full URL of a company if unsure of its authenticity. Additionally, he warns against clicking on links in suspicious messages, whether through text, social media, or email, as they may lead to phishing sites.

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, it’s crucial for consumers to stay vigilant and cautious to protect themselves from falling victim to online scams. Remember, if something seems too good to be true, it probably is.