A complete Melbourne guide to spotting ghost stores, fake deals, and scam ads this Black Friday.
Black Friday has become one of the biggest shopping weekends in Melbourne, with crowds hitting Chadstone, Melbourne Central, Highpoint, The Glen, Docklands outlets, and thousands more shopping online for early Christmas deals.
But while Melburnians hunt for bargains, scammers are hunting them too.
Every November, cybercriminals launch a surge of ghost stores, fake websites, and “too good to be true” social media ads targeting Australians—especially Melbourne, one of the most active online shopping cities in the country.
This guide is your Melbourne-first, scam-proof checklist, helping you shop confidently while avoiding the rising wave of fake deals this Black Friday.
What Are Ghost Stores?
Ghost stores are fake online shops designed to trick shoppers into buying products that:
- Never arrive
- Are counterfeit or damaged
- Are drop-shipped from unknown overseas suppliers
- Arrive completely different from what was advertised
These scam stores often pretend to be:
- Australian retailers
- Melbourne boutiques
- Local warehouse clearance outlets
- Pop-up stores claiming to be closing down in a specific suburb
They copy real brands, steal product photos, and run convincing ads during Black Friday promoting:
- 70–90% OFF
- “Local Melbourne Warehouse Clearance!”
- “Same-day shipping to Melbourne suburbs!”
- “South Yarra boutique closing down—EVERYTHING MUST GO!”
But in reality, there is no warehouse, boutique, or sale.
Why Black Friday Scams Are Exploding in Melbourne
Melbourne is one of the most targeted cities in Australia because of:
- High Online Shopping Activity
Melburnians are some of the biggest Black Friday shoppers in the country—especially for electronics, appliances, fashion, and Christmas gifts. - Fake Ads Target Local Suburbs
Scammers craft ads using Melbourne suburb names to build trust:
“Richmond warehouse disposing of stock!”
“Dandenong Dyson outlet clearance!”
“St Kilda sneaker sale!” - Peak “Emotional Shopping” Time
Black Friday creates urgency. People click fast. Scammers know this. - Increasing Fake .AU Websites
Fake Aussie-sounding domains like:
- dysonwarehouse-au.shop
- thegoodguys-clearance.com
- kms-store-au.online
These sites explode every November.
Melbourne Black Friday Scam Statistics (Authority + Trust)
Melbourne isn’t just a big shopping city—it’s a top target for online scams. According to Scamwatch and ACCC reports:
- Victorians reported over $40 million lost to online shopping scams in 2024.
- November consistently becomes the peak month for fake online stores and delivery scams.
- “Fake retailer” websites spike by 35–40% every Black Friday week.
- Melbourne suburbs such as Dandenong, Sunshine, St Kilda, Werribee, and Doncaster repeatedly appear in scam-related complaints.
Adding local stats makes this guide credible and authoritative.
8 Major Red Flags Melbourne Shoppers Must Look For
Here’s your simple Melbourne-focused checklist.
🔴 RED FLAG #1: Prices Too Good to Be True
If Dyson, The Good Guys, JB Hi-Fi, or Myer aren’t offering 70–80% off, a random website absolutely won’t.
🔴 RED FLAG #2: No ABN or Fake ABN
Legit Australian businesses must list an ABN. Check the ABN here: ABN Lookup
🔴 RED FLAG #3: PayID, Bank Transfer, Gift Cards Only
Avoid stores asking for:
- PayID
- Bank deposits
- Gift cards
- Cryptocurrency
Legit Melbourne stores use:
Visa, Mastercard, PayPal, Afterpay, Zip, Apple Pay, Google Pay
🔴 RED FLAG #4: Fake Melbourne Addresses
Copy addresses like “Warehouse in Dandenong” → paste into Google Maps. If no shop exists → scam.
🔴 RED FLAG #5: Suspicious Domain Names
Watch out for domains ending with: .shop, .store, .online
Also: too many hyphens, misspelled brand names, or “au” in the wrong place.
🔴 RED FLAG #6: No Social Presence or Very New Pages
Signs of fake stores: Instagram created days ago, no comments, overseas followers, overly positive reviews.
🔴 RED FLAG #7: Emotional “Closing Down” Stories
Common lines:
- “Melbourne boutique closing after 20 years!”
- “We are moving to Sydney — everything 90% off!”
🔴 RED FLAG #8: No Returns Policy or Vague Policy
Scammers hide return info or list: “All sales final.”
Real Melbourne Black Friday Scam Examples
Melburnians will recognise these immediately:
- Fake Dyson Melbourne Warehouse Clearance
Ads on Instagram & TikTok claim pick-up from Dandenong warehouse. No Dyson outlet exists there. - Copycat JB Hi-Fi “MEGA SALE” Sites
Domains: jbmega-au.shop, jbhifi-clearance.store. Fake checkout pages mimic the real JB Hi-Fi website. - Fake The Good Guys Websites
Scammers offer air fryers $29, coffee machines $39, refrigerators 80% off. All fake. - Kmart / Target / Rebel Fake Flash Sales
Ads target St Kilda, Werribee, South Morang, Doncaster shoppers with “local pickup.” - Fake Clothing Boutiques in Melbourne Suburbs
Claims of South Yarra, Fitzroy, Prahran, Brighton — zero ABN and zero Google presence. - Melbourne Cup Week Scams
Fake ads on Instagram targeting fascinators, dresses, and suits. - Laverton North & Sunshine West Warehouse Scams
Ghost stores claiming to ship from industrial areas that don’t exist. - DFO South Wharf Fake Discount Ads
Ads offering 80–90% off big brands that DFO never sells online.
How Melburnians Can Shop Safely This Black Friday
Follow this Melbourne safety checklist:
- Check the ABN First → ABN Lookup
- Prefer .com.au websites
- Use Secure Payment Methods → PayPal, Credit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay
- Search Independent Reviews → ProductReview.com.au, Trustpilot, r/melbourne, Facebook groups
- Check Social Media Age → If created recently → likely scam
- Google Maps Check → Verify warehouse addresses exist
- Compare Prices → If it’s $300+ cheaper than JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, or Myer → be suspicious
Quick 10-Second Scam Check
If a website fails any of these → don’t buy:
✔ No ABN
✔ Not using .com.au domain
✔ Prices >60% cheaper than known retailers
✔ PayID or gift card only
✔ Melbourne address doesn’t exist
✔ Website registered in the last 1–3 months
✔ Instagram/Facebook page has no comments
✔ No returns policy
✔ Ads claiming “Melbourne warehouse closing down today”
✔ Photos/branding identical to known retailers
Where Melbourne Shoppers Can Safely Shop Black Friday Deals
Electronics: JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys, Officeworks, Bing Lee, Harvey Norman, Amazon Australia (.com.au only)
Fashion: Myer, David Jones, Cotton On, Country Road, Universal Store
General Retail & Home: Kmart, Target, Big W, IKEA Richmond, Bunnings, Spotlight
If it’s not on this list → double-check thoroughly.
What to Do If You’ve Been Scammed
- Contact your bank immediately → NAB, CBA, Westpac, ANZ, Bendigo Bank
- Report to Scamwatch → Scamwatch Portal
- Notify Victoria Police Cybercrime Unit
- Reset any passwords used on the scam site
- Warn others → Facebook groups, Melbourne Reddit, neighbourhood pages
Final Advice for Melbourne Shoppers
Black Friday is MASSIVE in Melbourne. The deals are real—but so are the scams.
Before you buy:
- Slow down
- Check the ABN
- Verify the website
- Compare the price
- Use safe payments
- Avoid emotional “closing down” stories
Melbourne is targeted heavily because scammers know how much we shop online in November.
This guide helps Melburnians shop smart, safe, and scam-proof during Black Friday 2025.