Every year, thousands of Australians are targeted by scams, whether it be online, via phone, mail or even in person.
Australian Community Media has compiled a list of current scams identified on sites such as scamwatch.gov.au, www.cyber.gov.au and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s website dedicated to informing people about fraudulent and dishonest activities.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is
Too good to be true offers
- It may be the season for giving, but scammers will take whatever they can get. If you receive an email, call or message out of the blue offering you money or prizes, it’s almost definitely a scam. These are common phishing attempts. Do not click on any links and delete the message.
Look out for scam recovery scams
- If you have lost money to a scam beware a second wave of attack. Don’t trust ‘recovery firms’ who request up-front payment to ‘help get your money back’. If you have lost money to a scam, contact your bank or financial institution and follow the steps below. Do not seek help from these firms.
If it sounds too good to be true, it is
- Scammers are still sending flubot scam text messages hoping to trick people into entering their personal or financial information. Current messages include ‘your order will be delivered by DHL’ or ‘failure of delivery’.
- Scamwatch advises that if you’ve done your holiday shopping online and are expecting deliveries, track your parcels by going directly to the carriers’ website.
- Since August, many…
