Santa’s Not the Only One Sliding into Your DMs
For many Kiwis, Christmas shopping starts with a scroll. Social media feeds double as ads, promising amazing deals, and one click takes you straight to checkout. Convenient, yes, but also risky.
New Norton Cyber Safety Insights Report – Holiday research shows that Christmas scams are now among the biggest threats facing online shoppers in New Zealand.
Over half of New Zealanders admit they’ve shared personal information just to score a discount. Nearly a third have bought gifts via social media ads, and one in three use platforms like Facebook, Instagram and TikTok to find gift ideas.
The problem? Fake online stores and scam ads now account for more than half of all detected scams on social platforms.
And it doesn’t stop there.
AI is entering the mix, too. Almost a quarter of Kiwis plan to use tools like ChatGPT for gift inspiration this year, but 57 percent are worried scammers are using the same technology to create more believable fake shops, ads and messages.
AI-powered scams can look polished, personal and professional, making it harder than ever to tell what’s real.
Younger generations are also feeling the pressure.
Sixty-five percent of Millennials admit to handing over personal information for discounts, while Gen Z shoppers are some of the most exposed to risk when chasing popular Christmas items.
Nearly one in four have clicked on questionable ads, and others admit to buying directly from strangers on social media.
The result is real financial harm. One in five Kiwis said a holiday shopping scam has targeted them, and of those, nearly 40 percent actually lost money.
How to shop smarter this Christmas
- Be cautious with social ads, which are the source of most detected scams
- Avoid sharing personal data just to receive discounts
- Watch for urgency tactics that pressure quick decisions
- Use AI tools carefully. Don’t trust every recommendation
A safer Christmas shopping experience
To support Kiwis this festive season, we’re giving away Norton 360 Advanced (valued at NZD 249 for 12 months), a comprehensive online security solution that helps protect what matters most. It includes Genie Scam Protection, which uses AI to detect scams in real time, plus a Secure VPN, Dark Web Monitoring, and Identity Restoration Support if the worst happens.
Because the only surprise you should get this Christmas… is what’s under the tree.
