‘Be vigilant’: Google issues scam alert for holiday season

Kaycee Enerva

23rd Dec 2025

Consumers and businesses are being urged to remain vigilant this holiday season as Google warns of a rise in online scam activity.

The tech giant has identified six scam types gaining traction across the internet, including:

1. Seasonal holiday scams: Fake online stores, promotional ads and delivery messages designed to steal payments and personal data during peak sales periods.
   
2. Online job scams: Fraudulent recruiters and job listings used to collect personal information, charge upfront fees or distribute malware.
   
3. Fraud recovery scams: Criminals target previous scam victims with false promises to recover lost funds in exchange for additional payments.
   
4. AI service impersonation: Fake websites or apps posing as popular AI tools to capture login credentials and sensitive information.
   
5. Malicious VPN apps: Bogus security apps that conceal malware and enable access to personal or financial data.
   
6. Negative review extortion: Scammers threaten businesses with fake negative reviews unless a ransom is paid.

Bec Turner, government affairs and public policy manager at Google Australia, said scam risks typically rise during the Christmas and Boxing Day period as consumers increase online activity.

“With major online shopping events just around the corner, we typically see an increase in fraud risks,” Turner explains.

“Scammers take advantage of the Christmas and Boxing Day period with fake online stores, phishing messages posing as delivery updates, and ads that appear legitimate but are designed to steal personal and payment details.”

She urged consumers and businesses to slow down and verify information before clicking links or sharing data.

“If an offer is too good to be true, it probably is,” Turner concluded.