Banks warn shoppers of common scams to watch out for ahead of Boxing Day sales
Moderated by Tomas Kauer 
Banks are telling Aussies to remain on high alert for scams ahead of Boxing Day sales, as shoppers look for the biggest sales of the year.
The caution comes as new research has revealed that almost two-thirds of Australians have admitted to being exposed to shopping scams.
Research from Pyxis Polling commissioned by the ABA found that 64 per cent of people have said that they have experienced a shopping scam.
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The study also revealed that fake order confirmations were the most common type of shopping scam, with around 45 per cent of shoppers saying they have encountered them before.
60 per cent of Australians also said they are worried about being exposed to fake online websites.
ABA CEO Simon Birmingham urged Boxing Day shoppers to remain vigilant as shopping scams are more common at this time of year.
"It's prime time for shopping scams. Boxing Day is one of the busiest shopping periods of the year, and scammers will be out in force," Mr Birmingham said.
"We're all getting flooded with emails and texts with deals from our favourite brands. It pays to take an extra few seconds to check you're not about to get scammed.
"Scammers are constantly evolving their tactics, and AI is making it easier for them to mirror legitimate businesses and create fake online stores or advertisements. Australians need to be doubly careful on social media, where far too many scams emanate from.
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"Double-check you're purchasing from a legitimate website and watch out for text messages about missed deliveries, as this is a common way for scammers to get you to hand over personal or financial details.
"Banks are investing in new safeguards, including an industry‑wide Confirmation of Payee system, more payment warnings and delays, and enhanced intelligence‑sharing to detect and stop dodgy payments.
"But taking a moment to double-check before you buy is still your best form of defence to stop the scam at the start."
Common shopping scams to keep an eye out for include fake websites and ads on social media mimicking brands as well as emails asking for confirmation on orders that were never made, and fake texts about missed deliveries.
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