Telstra reveals top 4 scams to watch for this Black Friday

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are perhaps two of the biggest sales of the year. It's estimated that Aussies will spend up to $6.36 billion – a massive $188 million increase from last year. 

However, discounts aren't the only thing shoppers are being warned to look out for. Telstra is urging Aussies to be wary of scammers as they try to take advantage of the urgency of the Black Friday sales. They’ll use the increased volume of emails and texts from major brands and retailers to trip Aussies up, and lead unknowing customers to fake or unsafe sites. 

According to Scamwatch, Aussies have already lost almost $400 million from scams alone this year (based on data collected from January to September). Online shopping scams are the third highest reported scam, right behind false billing and phishing scams. Between November and December last year, Telstra blocked about 66% more scams than the 3 months prior, which proves just how prevalent scammers are around this time of year. 

To help prepare for this years Black Friday and Christmas season, Telstra has revealed the top four scams doing the rounds, and how to avoid falling victim to them.

QR codes are a crafty new way that scammers will con you into visiting an unsafe or fake website. Telstra’s cyber security expert, Darren Pauli implores Aussies to remain vigilant. If you have any concerns on the code’s validity, contact the organisation it’s allegedly come from before scanning it or submitting any personal information.

Phishing scams are not new. They are however, getting more sophisticated, and using AI to correct the poor grammar and spelling mistakes we associate with phishing messages. They also use familiar logos to lull you into thinking its from a legitimate brand. Keep a sharp eye out for inconsistencies and unfamiliar or odd greetings (like the classic ‘Hello dear’).

Scammers will target Aussies by pretending to be a brand or courier offering discounts, claiming a product hasn't been paid for yet, or that the customer’s membership needs to be renewed in order for the parcel to be dispatched. If you receive a message or email like this, Pauli recommends reading the email slowly and carefully, and reaching out through the brand or courier’s official channels before taking any action.

If the brand or retailer asks you to pay for your goods through gift cards, PayID, or direct deposit, this should sound alarm bells. Paying for items through direct debit can be risky as there is generally less protection compared to a platform like PayPal. While some banks might cover losses incurred over scammy credit card purchases, Pauli recommends checking where the platform or bank stands before buying something so you know you’re covered should your items not arrive.

If all signs point to the message being a scam but you’re not 100% sure, visit Telstra’s Active Scam page for a list of some common scams. To snitch on any known scammers or report an SMS scam, forward the text through to 7226, and report the scam to Scamwatch.