Almost a third of Australians have been hit by a financial scam, with $351.6 million lost so far in 2022.
In a RateCity.com.au survey of more than 1,000 Australians 29 per cent of respondents said they had been scammed. Scams included credit card hacks, identity theft and people who had been tricked into handing over money.
Latest figures from the ACCC Scamwatch showed scams had cost Australians $526.3 million already this year (January to November, inclusive). Looking across the last 12 months (December 2021 to November 2022, inclusive) that’s $569.5 million – an increase of $266.7 million (88 per cent) from the same period a year ago.
Investment scams caused the greatest financial losses – $351.6 million. However, phishing was the most common type of scam – 66,649 reports already in 2022.
People aged 65 or older reported the most scams of all age groups – 44,285 scams, worth $111.8 million.
RateCity research director Sally Tindall reminded Aussies that scammers “don’t take holidays”, so people should stay on their toes.
“Whether it’s a text message, email or a social media post – think before you click,” Tindall said.
“The post-Christmas sales can be a great time to nab a bargain but it’s also an opportune time for scammers to catch people out. When shopping online, question everything. Is it a website I recognise and trust?…
