Watch out for shopping scams this Christmas

The cost of Christmas can quickly mount up, so many of us are looking for bargains wherever we can find them. But that creates an opportunity for scammers.

According to TSB, more than a third of Brits (34%) plan to buy Christmas presents through social media.

And a similar number (37%) intend to purchase on second-hand marketplaces.

But fraudulent sellers and listings can be harder to identify on these platforms.

So TSB is urging anyone looking for a festive bargain online to be vigilant.

How are fraudsters tricking shoppers?

Scammers will share fake ads online promoting goods that don’t exist, ranging from cars, holidays and pets to clothing, phones and vapes.

So unsuspecting people may end up being tricked into paying for items that never arrive.

TSB figures suggest that one in three Brits (33%) have fallen victim to this type of fraud either on social media or second-hand platforms.

Facebook accounts for nearly two-thirds (65%) of cases, followed by TikTok (14%), Snapchat (7%) and Instagram (6%).

Worryingly, young shoppers appear to be particularly vulnerable.

Almost half (49%) of 25 to 34-year-olds have been caught out in this way, along with over two-fifths (44%) of 18 to 24-year-olds.

Christmas shoppers must be cautious

Buying second-hand items can be a great option because it’s so much cheaper than buying new.

And we don’t want to scare you off getting legitimate bargains.

But purchase scams are a real problem, so it’s important to take steps to protect yourself, such as only using secure payment methods like credit or debit cards, or trusted digital wallets.

That means you’re protected if something goes wrong.

We’ve put together tips on how to safely buy second-hand Christmas presents and check whether a seller is legitimate on online marketplaces.

It’s also worth checking out our advice on how to protect yourself from online scammers.