The research, which surveyed over 1,000 Australians, reveals that more than one in three shoppers have already encountered suspicious deals in their social media feeds and inboxes this holiday season. Ashley Millar, Trend Micro’s Director of Consumer Education, highlights the growing threat: “With nearly half of Australians shopping or booking travel online this Black Friday and many spending more time chasing discounts, cybercriminals are seizing the moment. Fake deals, spoofed delivery alerts, and impersonated brands are flooding inboxes, messages, and social feeds.”
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reported a 16% year-on-year increase in scam losses, with a staggering $259.5 million lost to scams between January and September 2025. This alarming statistic underscores the importance of consumer vigilance as scam activity continues to rise. Millar adds, “Financial stress is accelerating risk. When budgets are tight, people act fast, and that’s when mistakes happen. One in three shoppers have already encountered suspicious offers this season. It’s a reminder that urgency and emotion are powerful tools for scammers, and that even small lapses in caution can have costly consequences.”
The survey uncovered that 49% of Australians plan to participate in Black Friday shopping, while 37% intend to shop on Cyber Monday. However, the allure of discounts and deals comes with a warning: 46% of respondents indicated they would spend more time searching for discounts compared to last year, potentially increasing their exposure to scams.
Trend Micro’s findings also shed light on how scammers are targeting consumers. One in four Australians reported encountering fraudulent content or messages impersonating well-known brands. Additionally, 20% have come across online ads, emails, texts, social media posts, or websites related to online charities seeking donations that they believed to be scams. A significant 68% of respondents received fraudulent messages or emails alerting them to problems with the delivery of items they ordered.
Email remains the most common method scammers use to target consumers, with 41% of respondents reporting email as the primary channel for scams. Social media follows at 21%, and text messages at 16%. Among social platforms, Facebook is the most targeted, with 59% of Australians reporting scam activity, followed by Instagram (14%) and WhatsApp (8%).
The survey also explored how victims realised they were scammed. Of the 17% who fell victim to online scams related to shopping or booking travel this year, 21% only realised they were scammed when an item they ordered never arrived. Meanwhile, 14% discovered the scam after conducting research post-payment, and 13% only became aware when money was withdrawn from their bank account by someone else.
For those who suspect they have encountered a scam, the top methods for verification include researching online (37%) and trusting their instincts (35%). However, only 12% of consumers have used an online scam-checking app to confirm their suspicions.
As the holiday shopping season intensifies, Trend Micro’s research serves as a crucial reminder for Australians to remain vigilant. With cybercriminals capitalising on the frenzy of Black Friday and Cyber Monday, consumers are urged to exercise caution and verify the legitimacy of deals and offers before making purchases.
