Shoppers are being told to beware of online scammers fraudulently using the names of big retailers in the lead-up to Christmas.
Australian National Retailers Association (ANRA) chief executive Margy Osmond says the recent growth in internet shopping, especially coming up to Christmas, was resulting in more online scams.
Ms Osmond said scammers were using the names of iconic Aussie retailers in order to "fool consumers into thinking they are legitimate" in an attempt to cash in this Christmas.
"The scams will usually invite you to take part in a survey, email or some form of social media activity and offer a prize such as a fake gift voucher from a company whose name you know and trust," she said in a statement.
Ms Osmond said the scams were designed to collect bargain hunters' personal details, including credit card numbers.
Scammers had recently targeted supermarkets, hardware chains and smartphones with a number of bogus offerings turning up on Facebook, she said.
Ms Osmond urged consumers to contact the retailers if they had doubts about the authenticity of a deal.
"Do not use the links on the potential scam site as they will take you to a fake website purporting to be the major company in question," she said.
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