The scammers are also active.

The main place where they may persuade you to divert your money into their pockets is online.

The police have some warnings. The main one is: if the price looks too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true.

"While online marketplaces and classified sites are a popular way to buy and sell items, be aware that scammers are active on these sites and can pose as either buyers or sellers," one force's Financial and Cyber Crime Group says.

"If you show interest in the item, you may find the scammer claims they are out of town and an agent will deliver the item upon receipt of payment.

Payment requested through a wire service, money order, gift cards or in cryptocurrency - all of which are difficult to recover money from once sent - is another telltale sign of a scam.

"Do not be tricked into sending a copy of your driver licence to someone you don't know, even if they send you a copy of one. Scammers can use this tactic to steal your ID to scam more people.

"Be wary of unusual payment requests, and always inspect an item before agreeing to a sale, arranging to meet where possible in a public space, during the day with a friend or family member."

A website may look legitimate and extremely professional but there are sometimes telltale signs that it's fake.

Apart from the price being too good to be true, a hint of illegitimacy may be too few details about how to return a good or about contact details.

If there is not number to contact a customer service representative and no address, be wary. Payment by unusual methods is also a warning sign, according to the police.

Detective Inspector Vince Byrnes from the Financial and Cyber Crime Group in Queensland said scammers often set up a fake online store with products at "too-good-to-be-true" prices to attempt to trick shoppers into buying stock they don't have.

"It is best to use online retailers or brands that you are aware of, trust and that offer buyer protections," Detective Inspector Byrnes said.

"We've said it before and we'll say it again and again: be very wary of shopping websites that don't use secure payment methods and offer big discounts for direct payment into accounts.

"And please, never pay anything via cryptocurrency," the anti-fraud detective said.

Phishing is where a fraudster tries to get you to reveal enough details of your bank account or credit card for him or her to use it.

Smishing is where the fraudster sends a text messages purporting to be from reputable company to try to get you to disclose the personal information like passwords or credit card numbers.

Scammers use these methods to drive people towards a fake website.

From here, scammers may attempt to steal money or personal data, or may infect your device with malware - computer code which lets them get into your private information.

Either way, they get the goods; you get the bill - and a lot of Christmas pain.

If you receive an email or a text from someone you don't know, consider the possibility that it could be fraudulent.

And emails out of the blue which seem to be from your bank should be treated with the utmost caution. Go to the bank's website or branch to communicate. Don't email passwords and account numbers.

"Avoid clicking on links and if you are unsure about the message authenticity, best to delete it and check it by calling the organisation using contact details from a verified website," the Financial and Cyber Crime Group in Queensland says.

Australia Post warned of a variation on the smishing scam.

People were getting a text message: "We have attempted to deliver ur package AU26466A1, but there is an unpaid customs charge. Follow the instructions here:"

Australia Post said on Facebook: "Please do not click on any links or provide any bank details - this is a scam."

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission said the spelling mistake "ur" was a good sign of the fakeness of the text message.

READ MORE:

"Please note that Australia Post will never email or text message you asking for personal information, financial information or a payment," the postal service said.

"If you are in doubt about the authenticity of an email, text message or phone call, please delete immediately or hang up."

A variant of this scam said that there were additional delivery costs to pay.

Another scam was similar to the postal scam but victims were tricked into revealing information to people who purported to be offering a better deal on electricity.

Be suspicious.

The coronavirus epidemic saw a rise of scams, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Christmas will not see a diminution.

"Personal information, such as bank and superannuation details or passwords, are extremely valuable and scammers will try to steal them for their own financial gain. Our increased use of technology has created more opportunities for them to do so," the ACCC's Deputy Chairperson Delia Rickard said.