Be wary of online transactions.
URGENT UPDATE: A devastated retiree in Meadow Springs has lost $50,000 to a sophisticated online shopping scam, prompting an urgent warning for bargain hunters this festive season. Alida Peacock, 79, spent hours searching online for a motor-home for her family’s dream trip around Australia when she fell victim to a fraudulent Melbourne-based business last month.
Peacock believed the website was legitimate after it passed her son’s inquiry, stating, “It didn’t look dodgy at all.” After purchasing a 2018 KEA River motor-home and transferring three payments totaling $50,700, she received a tracking number and was assured the vehicle was on its way from Dubbo, NSW. However, the promised delivery never arrived.
“I began to ‘smell a rat’ after being told the courier truck had broken down,” Peacock recounted. Despite her attempts to follow up, the company continued to provide excuses. “We reported it everywhere… but the money was gone,” she lamented. “$50,000 is a lot of money.”
Peacock’s experience highlights a troubling trend, as new data from the Department of Local Government, Industry Regulation and Safety reveals that West Australians have lost nearly $466,000 to shopping scams this year alone. Of that amount, $294,167 was lost through online marketplaces, with $165,791 attributed to online shopping scams.
Phillipa Costanzo, head of customer trust and security at Bankwest, warns that these scams are growing increasingly sophisticated. “Fake websites can replicate genuine sites very well,” she explained. Scammers often create a sense of urgency with heavily discounted items, using tactics like countdown timers to pressure shoppers.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reported that Australians have lost up to $260 million to scams in the first nine months of 2025, marking a staggering 16% increase from 2024. ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe noted that scammers often target events like Black Friday when consumers are most eager to find the best deals.
“Consumers are reminded to take their time, check the legitimacy of websites, and be cautious about sharing personal or financial information online,” Lowe advised.
Peacock urges other online shoppers to stay vigilant, saying, “I’m devastated because that’s all the money we had left to buy a motor-home, and we can’t go anywhere now.” She hopes her story can help prevent others from falling victim to similar scams.
As the holiday shopping season approaches, authorities and consumer protection agencies continue to issue warnings. Shoppers are encouraged to verify websites through genuine URLs rather than links found in messages or social media, which may lead to fraudulent sites.
Stay tuned for further updates as authorities investigate this alarming trend in online scams.
