This Mother's Day is the perfect opportunity to support South Australian retailers with the additional benefit of avoiding the danger of online shopping scams.

The State Government is warning people to protect themselves from scams and encouraging them to support local businesses when purchasing gifts.

As online shopping continues to grow in popularity, convincing scams are more prolific with dodgy sellers often using social media to target unsuspecting shoppers and direct them to fake websites.

These websites can look like legitimate retailers' websites and we advise checking the URL or searching for the retailer direct in your browser.

Searching for independent reviews of the item can also reveal a fake trader or online shopping scam.

Shopping with local brands you know and trust, while keeping an eye out for unusually low prices, uncommon payment options such as a wire transfer and mock websites, is the best way to avoid being scammed.

South Australia is home to an incredible array of small businesses - both bricks and mortar and online - and this Mother's Day is the perfect opportunity to support local retailers when shopping for gifts.

For more information about shopping safely, see our website.