Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams in 2023, with these losses disproportionally affecting senior Australians.<1> It’s vital to keep your guard up and stay informed about the increasing scams happening across Australia. Scammers are posing as bank officials, police officers, or even government representatives, claiming there’s a problem with your account or taxes. They use fear tactics, urgent language, and sophisticated techniques to manipulate victims into disclosing sensitive information like bank details, passwords, and personal identification.
Protect yourself and stay safe! Here are some useful tips from Scamwatch:
- STOP – Don’t give personal information or act on investment advice from someone you have only met online. Don’t feel pressured to invest. If you have any doubts, stop communicating with them.
- THINK – Ask yourself whether you really know who you are communicating with. Online scammers use different profile pictures and lie about who they really are. Do an internet search of the person’s name, or do a reverse image search with their photo, so as to better ascertain who they really are.
- PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you have invested money. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch.
Another great resource for protection and education is the ACCC’s Little Black Book of Scams.
<1> ACCC (April, 2024) Targeting scams. Report of the National Anti-Scam Centre on scams activity 2023.