A major Australian bank is warning communities to be vigilant of cyber criminals as scams ramp up in the lead-up to the festive season.
Westpac data found the days following this year’s Black Friday sales resulted in a 17 per cent jump in fraud-related calls.
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Now that spending period is over, it wants Australians to be extra careful as scammers turn to Christmas tricks.
Westpac recommends customers online shopping for presents this holiday season protect themselves by using a digital card, which has a dynamic three-digit CVC code that changes daily.
The bank’s financial crime and fraud prevention general manager Chris Whittingham said scammers used the festive season to take advantage of the hearts and wallets of Australians.
“This may include buying and selling scams with fake websites offering competitive deals, enticing many Australians who may be rethinking their household budgets amid cost-of-living pressures,” he said.
“Charity scams are also common at Christmas, exploiting our kindness through fake donation websites or even door knocking appeals.”
Whittingham recommended Australians take extra care when online shopping and avoid offers that may appear too good to be true because they probably are.
“Be cautious of offers … that seek payment in new or unusual ways like through wire transfer, cryptocurrency or via…
