Beware the holiday hustle: how to spot scams this Easter break

With school holidays on the horizon, families throughout Australia are gearing up for some much-needed downtime and fun. While you're planning those memorable adventures, it's worth keeping an eye out for scammers eager to crash the party. With a bit of savvy and easy-to-follow advice, you can keep your break hassle-free. 

Watch out: Holiday booking scams

Spotted a crazy-good, last-minute Easter holiday deal promising a luxury escape for a pittance? Proceed with caution. Scammers love to lure unsuspecting travellers with heavily discounted holiday packages, requiring full or hefty upfront payments. It’s the bait, and your hard-earned money is what they’re really fishing for. 

Beat the scam: Stick to reputable travel sites, avoid booking via social media and keep communications within the platform, whether it be the app or customer service email. If you're booking via phone, make sure it's a number you've verified from the official site. A travel credit card can be your best ally, offering added protections like insurance and support in case things go awry. 

Watch out: Shopping sales scams

Holiday periods can be prime sales time for shops and businesses, which means a good time for scammers to cash in. Crafty scammers have perfected the art of setting up fraudulent websites that mimic your favorite brands with uncanny precision. Their URLs look legit, designs flawless and reviews positive, but the deals? Questionable at best. Instead of those slick sneakers you thought you were buying, you’re more likely to receive a kick to the gut.

Beat the scam: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Always shop on trusted websites and check it has information about privacy, terms and conditions of use, dispute resolution and contact details, plus a secure payment service like PayPal or credit card. Compare prices on other websites and search for independent reviews. And remember, public Wi-Fi is not your friend when shopping online, unless you fancy sharing your credit card details with the world.

Watch out: Charity scams 

Easter and festive periods are synonymous with giving, but they also attract scammers posing as representatives of reputable charities. They might approach you on the street, ring your doorbell or flood your inbox with heart-wrenching stories, all designed to tug at your purse strings. Look out for unsolicited donation requests, suspicious payment methods like gift cards or bank transfers, aggressive or high-pressure tactics, and be suspicious of dodgy crowdfunding or fundraising appeals, which might signal a scam from a fake charity.

Beat the scam: Donate to charities you know and trust. If approached by a new charity, do some homework before handing over your money – look them up on Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). Genuine organisations will be transparent about their operations and happy to provide verifiable information.

What to do if you’ve been scammed

If you've made a purchase and no goods show up or you suspect you've been a victim of a charity or holiday scam, act quickly. Get in touch with your bank and report the incident to ScamWatch.

If you’re an AMP customer and you think your account has been compromised, alert us immediately. Banking customers, please call 13 30 30.