4 December 2025

Suncorp Bank urges customers to be scam aware this festive season

5 min read

Suncorp Bank is urging customers to be scam aware in the lead up to the festive period as scammers attempt to lure Australians with deals that sound too good to be true. 

According to National Anti-Scam Centre, Australians have lost more than $8 million this year (calendar year 2025) alone to shopping scams. With Christmas fast approaching, scammers are looking to take advantage of shoppers hunting for bargains and gifts for loved ones.  

A shopping scam is a type of fraud where the criminal tricks the victim into paying for goods or services that either don’t exist, are not as described, or in some cases, are simply never delivered.

The scam-artists use spoof websites that appear genuine, or attempt to sell fake items or services through social media or messaging platforms. 

Suncorp Bank Financial Crime Manager, Luke O’Donnell explained that fraudsters attempt to take advantage of people by playing into their hopes, wants or desires.

“Spoof websites are generally filled with very unrealistically discounted products and often have limited or unusual payment methods.”

“With the cost of living pressures high, these discounts can seem appealing, but they are not genuine items for sale, and if the scammer is successful, those funds may be impossible for you or your bank to retrieve.”

“If you think you've been scammed with the payment being made via  your Suncorp Bank account, call us right away on our publicly listed number 13 11 75. The sooner we know, the more we can do to try to help.”

Top tips to spot an online scam:

1. The URL looks slightly wrong or includes misspellings

2. Prices are unrealistically low

3. The website is new and has no online presence  

4. No contact details, or suspicious ones

5. Poor spelling, grammar, or design flaws

Beware if a website or seller insists on bank transfer, PayID, Crypto or gift cards. Urgency for payment and using direct transfers is a tactic scammers use to reduce the possibility of funds recovery.

If you’re a Suncorp Bank customer and believe you have fallen victim to a scam or your bank details have been compromised, visit your local branch or give us a call on 13 11 75 immediately. 

For more information visit: Identify & Report Threats | Online Security | Suncorp Bank