What are the red flags of this scam?

A Facebook or Instagram ad shows a familiar brand (JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, IKEA, Lorna Jane) offering 70–90% off or a 'closing down' clearance — prices far below what the real retailer charges • The website domain is slightly off — adding words like '-clearance', '-au-store', '-official' or using a .com instead of the real .com.au address • The site has very few product reviews, a recently registered domain, and no Australian Business Number (ABN) or verifiable business address • Payment is only accepted by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or a gift card — not the credit card options a legitimate retailer uses • You can never reach a customer service line after paying; emails bounce or go unanswered, and the social media account disappears • The ad was posted by a Facebook page or Instagram account that was recently created or has an unusual name with few followers • The checkout prompts you to also enter your driver's licence, passport number, or Medicare card — a legitimate online shop does not need these

What should I do if this happened to me?

Type a retailer's address manually into your browser rather than clicking any ad — the real domains end in '.com.au' for Australian retailers • Search the retailer on the Australian Business Register (abr.business.gov.au) and check the ABN on the website matches • Pay by credit card where possible — credit card payments give you chargeback rights if goods are not delivered; PayID and bank transfers do not • If you have paid and received nothing, contact your bank immediately to request a chargeback; card payments can sometimes be reversed if reported quickly • Report the site to Scamwatch and to the ACCC's SCAMwatch Report Assist tool; also report the ad platform (Meta, Google) so the fake ad is taken down • Check any website at https://whois.domaintools.com to see how recently it was registered — a site registered this year selling 'brand name' goods at 80% off is a red flag • Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

HIGH marketplace Last reported: 25 Oct 2026 Share

A social media ad for a deep-discount JB Hi-Fi or Harvey Norman clearance leads to a fake store — you pay and nothing arrives

Q: Is this a scam?

Yes. This is a documented scam pattern. Fake retail websites copy JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, IKEA and other brands, promoted via social media ads with steep discounts. Victims pay but goods never arrive or are counterfeit. Shopping scams cost Australians $10.8 million in 2025.

Fake retail websites copy JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, IKEA and other brands, promoted via social media ads with steep discounts. Victims pay but goods never arrive or are counterfeit. Shopping scams cost Australians $10.8 million in 2025.

Also known as: fake online store Australia, fake Australian retail website, fake JB Hi-Fi website, fake Harvey Norman clearance site, Black Friday fake sale Australia, social media ad fake shop Australia, fake IKEA site Australia

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

1 Call your bank or card's fraud line right now. Use the number on the back of your card — not any number from the message or caller. Ask them to stop or reverse the payment and freeze the account.
2 If you paid by gift card, wire, or an app (Zelle, Venmo, Cash App): contact that company immediately and report it as fraud. Acting fast sometimes recovers the money.
3 Report to the FBI at ic3.gov and the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. The sooner, the better.

What to do right now

1 Type a retailer's address manually into your browser rather than clicking any ad — the real domains end in '.com.au' for Australian retailers
2 Search the retailer on the Australian Business Register (abr.business.gov.au) and check the ABN on the website matches
3 Pay by credit card where possible — credit card payments give you chargeback rights if goods are not delivered; PayID and bank transfers do not
4 If you have paid and received nothing, contact your bank immediately to request a chargeback; card payments can sometimes be reversed if reported quickly
5 Report the site to Scamwatch and to the ACCC's SCAMwatch Report Assist tool; also report the ad platform (Meta, Google) so the fake ad is taken down
6 Check any website at https://whois.domaintools.com to see how recently it was registered — a site registered this year selling 'brand name' goods at 80% off is a red flag
7 Report to Scamwatch at https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam or ReportCyber at https://www.cyber.gov.au/report.

Red flags

⚠ A Facebook or Instagram ad shows a familiar brand (JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, IKEA, Lorna Jane) offering 70–90% off or a 'closing down' clearance — prices far below what the real retailer charges
⚠ The website domain is slightly off — adding words like '-clearance', '-au-store', '-official' or using a .com instead of the real .com.au address
⚠ The site has very few product reviews, a recently registered domain, and no Australian Business Number (ABN) or verifiable business address
⚠ Payment is only accepted by bank transfer, cryptocurrency, or a gift card — not the credit card options a legitimate retailer uses
⚠ You can never reach a customer service line after paying; emails bounce or go unanswered, and the social media account disappears
⚠ The ad was posted by a Facebook page or Instagram account that was recently created or has an unusual name with few followers
⚠ The checkout prompts you to also enter your driver's licence, passport number, or Medicare card — a legitimate online shop does not need these

Known variants

Hijacked Facebook or Instagram account variant: scammers take over a friend's real account, then post fake 'fire sale' links from it to that person's followers, lending false credibility. The account owner is unaware; their friends trust the link because it appears to come from someone they know.

Last seen: 10/25/2026
AI-generated fake boutique variant: fully AI-built small-brand storefronts with convincing product photos and fake 5-star reviews on Google, not impersonating a known retailer but acting as a new independent shop. Runs high-volume Google shopping ads. Victims receive counterfeit goods or nothing.

Last seen: 10/25/2026

Already happened to you? Do this in the next few minutes

What to do right now

Red flags

Known variants

Sources