Each year, as the festive season arrives, we must also keep an eye out for potential scammers trying to ruin the fun.
This is because scammers become more active during the holidays, targeting us while we have our guard down.
So far in 2022, Australians have lost about half a billion dollars to scams, which is already significantly more than had been lost by this time last year.
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The majority of these losses – about $300 million – involved investment or cryptocurrency scams.
Deakin University Centre for Cyber Security Research and Innovation researchers interviewed recent victims of such scams. Here is what they found.
Anyone can fall for a scam
“I was shocked and could not accept that this happened to me although I was very careful … I was numb for a couple of minutes as it was a large amount of money,” a 26-year-old female office manager from South Australia said.
These scams have become highly sophisticated and criminals have become less discriminating about whom they target. This is reflected in recent victim demographics, showing a wide variety of backgrounds, a more even distribution across several age groups, and an almost even split on gender.
So, how can you spot these scams and where can you get help if you have fallen victim?
