Netsafe received 292 reports of online shopping scams in New Zealand in September, with reported losses of $58,300, down from 337 reports and $146,800 in August.

The decline comes as Netsafe warns that scam activity could increase as online shopping picks up ahead of Black Friday and Christmas. The organisation said October was an opportunity to raise awareness before the end-of-year shopping period begins.

Household budgets remain under pressure from winter energy bills, fuel and grocery costs, leaving less room for discretionary spending. Non-food retail spending typically dips during winter before increasing towards the end of the year. Netsafe says scammers are expected to target shoppers seeking deals as online shopping activity increases.

Netsafe’s digital transformation and AI implementation lead, Alex Yi, said scammers would seek to take advantage of increased online shopping activity, particularly when people are buying gifts or trying to make their money stretch further.

“When people are shopping online, particularly when they’re buying gifts or trying to make their money stretch further, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of a bargain and click before checking whether the seller or website is legitimate,” he said. “Taking a few extra seconds to stop and check can make a big difference.”

Netsafe’s advice for shoppers includes checking independent reviews, verifying website addresses and reviewing payment requests before completing a purchase. It also warns against offers that pressure shoppers to act quickly, including claims that stock is running out or that deals are available for a limited time.

For retailers, the expected increase in online shopping ahead of Black Friday and Christmas highlights the importance of making official sales channels easy for customers to identify and verify.

• Further reading: Return fraud, counterfeits and other scams: 2025 was a banner year.