Be alert for scams this Christmas

Christmas is a time of great joy and generous giving, but it is also a time of year when scammers are particularly active.

The Australian Government’s National Anti-Scam Centre statistics show nearly 160,000 reported scams resulted in the loss of over $259 million in the first nine months of this year.

An increase in online shopping activity in the lead up to Christmas and Boxing Day sales, coupled with stress associated with getting present shopping done in time for the big day, creates an enticing environment for scammers.

Criminals can create fake websites to look like well-known brands, pretend to sell products at unusually low prices, and may even write fake reviews to make the website look legitimate.

There are simple steps you can take to help avoid online shopping scams:

• Do some research on the seller before clicking straight to the website.

• Compare prices with other websites.

• Search for independent reviews on other websites.

• Keep the operating system and apps on your device or computer up to date. (Source: ScamWatch)

To learn more about this and other scams and how to avoid them, please watch this short video provided by our partners at Indue – https://youtu.be/DP8nqly98iI

From all of us at LLL, have a happy, safe and blessed Christmas.