Tis the season for scammers – be alert for these 12 scams of Christmas

Matt Hannan, Head of Fraud at HSBC Australia said: “Scammers know that Australians are busy, and spending more at this time of year. We want customers to enjoy the festive season and ensure they remain scam aware. That’s why we are sharing some of the most common scams affecting Australians and a few that we are seeing on the rise,” Hannan said.

Here are some of the common scams that Australians should watch out for this festive season:

1. Parcel Delivery Scams (including “missed delivery” texts)
With record parcel volumes, scammers send fake notifications claiming a delivery has been missed and requesting a small redelivery fee or personal details. These messages often impersonate trusted companies, such as Australia Post, FedEx or DHL.

2. Online Shopping & Marketplace Purchase Scams
Fake websites, counterfeit brand sales, too-good-to-be-true holiday deals, and fraudulent listings on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree and Instagram surge in December. Scammers lure shoppers with limited-time offers or heavily discounted gifts.

3. Phishing Emails
Phishing emails surge during the festive season due to increased online shopping and sales events. Commonly these emails include fake delivery notifications, bogus charity appeals, too-good-to-be-true deals, and impersonations of retailers or banks. To stay safe, verify the legitimacy of links and offers, and be cautious with unsolicited emails or requests for personal information.

4. Romance & Loneliness Scams
The holidays can be isolating for some, making them more vulnerable to online relationships that quickly escalate into pleas for money, urgent bill payments, or “investment opportunities.”

5. Job Scams
The holiday season offers temporary job opportunities, which scammers exploit by posting fake job ads online. Beware of jobs that require applicants to provide detailed personal or financial information or pay a “fee” to apply. Some may even “hire” you for a role that involves fraudulent activity, like reshipping goods bought with stolen credit cards. Verify that employers are legitimate and be wary of recruiters using a personal email address instead of a business email domain.

6. “Hi Mum/Hi Dad” Family Message Scams
Scammers message from a new number pretending to be a family member whose phone is “broken,” asking for urgent help or money transfers - a scam that spikes around Christmas due to family pressures and emotions.

7. Bank Impersonation Scams
Scammers pose as your bank using spoofed caller ID or messages. End-of-year spending is used as a smokescreen - with scammers claiming they need a password or code to “confirm a transaction” or “unlock your account” or to send money to a “safe account.” Your bank would never do this.

8. Investment Scams & Year-End ‘Bonus’ Opportunities
Fraudsters push “exclusive December returns,” cryptocurrency schemes, property share investments or fake IPOs. Ensure you verify all investment opportunities through official channels, at any time of year.

9. Gift Card & Voucher Scams
Fake emails and ads promoting discounted gift cards (e.g., Apple, Coles, Woolworths, Amazon) often lead customers to cloned sites that steal card details or payment information.

10. Charity & Holiday Donation Scams
Scammers set up fake charities or impersonate humanitarian organisations during the season of giving. They may use emotional stories, recent global events, or urgent needs to pressure quick donations.

11. Secret Santa & Social Group Scams
“Gift exchange” chain schemes, circulating heavily in group chats, promise dozens of gifts in return for sending one. These are pyramid schemes that harvest personal details and never deliver on the promise.

12. Travel & Holiday Accommodation Scams
Fake holiday rentals, discounted hotel packages, and fraudulent airline ticket sites spike during December travel planning. Scammers advertise properties that don’t exist or steal real listing photos.

For more information on how to protect yourself from scams, visit the HSBC Fraud and Scam Prevention Hub.

Media enquiries:
Lillian Birchall | lillian.birchall@hsbc.com.au