More and more fraudsters are trying to scam people out of their hard-earned money. They’re always coming up with new ways of doing so including scams through online sales platforms like Facebook Marketplace PayID scams, phishing texts and emails and much more.
Current scams in Australia
Scammers often offer a product or service that seems too good to be true or pose as legitimate organisations in an effort to steal your personal information, including passwords. It is impossible to list all scams currently being used as there are so many (and then, so many variations to the original scam). Some examples of current scams in Australia are:
Phishing
Phishing’ refers to emails, SMS or phone calls that trick people into giving out their personal and banking information. These messages or calls seem to come from legitimate businesses and are often disguised as banks or other financial institutions or telecommunications providers. The scammers are trying to get information such as bank account numbers, passwords and credit card numbers, which they will then use to steal your identity.
An example of current phishing scams circulating Australia are:
- PayID Marketplace Scams
- Phishing text messages using technology to pose as legitimate organisations
- Phishing internet banking websites promoted in Google advertisements
- Linkt/Toll Scam Alert
Family Impersonation or “Hi Mum” Scam
Scamwatch is warning the public to be vary wary of phone messages from a family member or friend claiming they need help, otherwise known as the “Hi Mum” scam. More than 1,150 Australians have fallen victim to this “Hi Mum” scam in the first seven months of 2022, with total reported losses of $2.6 million. Victims are contacted, most often through WhatsApp, by a scammer posing as a family member or friend claiming they’ve lost or damaged their phone. Learn more about this scam here.
Recruitment Scam
Ever come across a job advertisement online that seems to good to be true, such as clicking a button on a website or submitting reviews to make money? In this scam, scammers will often ask for a payment in exchange for a guaranteed income. They pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies and online shopping platforms and impersonate well-known recruitment agencies. Scamwatch has reported that Australian’s lost over $8.7 million in 2022 to these types of scams, so it’s an important one to look out for!
Extortion Scam
An extortion scam happens when a scammer threatens to release valuable private information or get you into trouble unless you provide a form of payment or service to them. These scams are designed to frighten you into handing over your money, and can even include threats to your life.
There are many types of extortion scams. A perpetrator could obtain something private of yours through deceptive means, such as your password or private personal images (image-based abuse). They could threaten to release these to the public unless you pay money or do something for them. Scammers may also impersonate government officials from agencies like Centrelink, Services Australia and the Department of Home Affairs claiming that you have overdue fees to pay, and scare you with the threat of arrest.
It’s important to remember to never send any money as it can be difficult to retrieve and can make matters worse. If you are contacted by someone who is trying to extort you, get in contact with the Police immediately. You can also report the incident to www.eSafety.gov.au.
Investment Scam
Investment Scams prey on your trust in your online connections and desire to grow your wealth. These scams are ‘allegedly’ promoted by celebrities or by your social media friends and ask you to invest into a wealth-growth opportunity, such as Crypto Currency or Gold. Most of these promotions are too good to be true, and are fabricated with false endorsements to persuade you into handing over money that you won’t see again. If your friend is promoting something you suspect as an investment scam, you should personally check with your friend to ensure their social media site has not been hijacked to issue false endorsements. You should also research the investment strategy carefully and seek professional investment advice.
Puppy Scam
Yes, scammers even use puppies to try to scam you out of your money. Puppy Scams occur where the sale of a pedigree puppy is promoted online and a deposit fee is requested in order to meet transport costs etc. The breeder is not legitimate or has had their webpage high jacked in order give the appearance of legitimacy. So instead of purchasing a puppy, your deposit disappears to the scammer. Before making any expensive purchase online always research thoroughly. You can ask the Breeder for details of their servicing Vet so you can obtain a reference. Make sure you contact the vet using contact details obtained independently.
“Flubot” Scam
The “Flubot” scam has been doing the rounds on mobile phones across Australia. It is a scam where a text message is sent to the device with a “link”. Often the message is about a missed call, voicemail or parcel delivery. If you click on the link, it will attempt to install malware on your device which gives the fraudsters access to all information, including your passwords and banking information. Learn more about this scam and how to protect yourself in our scam alert – Beware of “Flubot” scams.
Romance Scam
A Romance Scam is an online dating scam where the scammer will spend time cultivating a relationship with you online, often over many months. They might then ask you for emergency money to help a sick relative or to assist with foreign aid activities. They may even ask you to pay for them come to Australia to meet you in person.
A common sign of a romance scam is if you’re asked to send money overseas to an account in another name than the person you are in contact with. If you suspect a romance scam, you should stop communicating with the person immediately and talk to someone you trust about the situation. You can also report your experience to the ACCC.
Remote Access Scam
A Remote Access Scam often occurs on the phone, where scammers call you claiming to be from a telecommunications company. They will then seek remote access to your computer to conduct offsite maintenance. While they have remote access, they will ask you to log into your internet banking platform and steal your credentials and funds from your account.
Never provide remote access to your PC without validating that it is a legitimate request directly with your telecommunications provider.
Advanced Fee Scam
An Advanced Fee Scam is a form of upfront payment or money transfer scam that can come from anywhere in the world. The scammers offer you a share in a large sum of money that they want to transfer out of their country but first require you to send them funds so that they can undertake the transfer. They may claim the money is trapped in central banks during civil wars or coups, often in countries currently in the news. Alternatively, they could say that you are “entitled to” a share of massive inheritances that are difficult to access because of government restrictions or taxes in the scammer’s country. The scammers will then “take the money and run”.
Lottery Scam
A Lottery Scam is usually an email or letter from an overseas lottery or sweepstakes company arrives advising that you have won a lot of money or fantastic prizes in a lottery or sweepstakes competition you did not enter. These scams often use the names of actual overseas lotteries (often Spanish lotteries), so may seem legitimate. However, you cannot win these lotteries without buying a ticket from an authorised distributor in the country it is from. The scammers may use the scam to obtain your details or similarly to ‘Nigerian’ scams to extract an advance payment for the target.
Money Mule scam
A Money Mule Scam is when scammers send money to you, and ask you to send it onto someone else. They often want you to send the money on using a gift card or wire transfer. This scam can often be advertised as a ‘work-from-home’ opportunity but is a front for illegal money laundering or attempts at identity theft. Participating in money laundering is a criminal offence.
Emergency Response Themed Scam
Emergency Response Themed Scams come up when scammers try to piggy-back off community emergencies, such as Bushfire relief or COVID-19, to seek donations for non-legitimate purposes. Instead of your donation going to those in need, it goes into the scammers back pocket. Always do your homework before donating or providing any account information online. In Australia, you can find registered charities who are authorised to accept donations on the ACNC Charity Register.
How to avoid being scammed
Some more tips to help avoid falling into these scams are:
- Be wary of spam emails, chain letters and persons purporting to be representatives of Government Departments, financial institutions or other businesses.
- Do not give your name, bank account details, copies of your passport, birth certificate or any other personal details or documents to anyone other than for legitimate purposes.
- If someone contacts you asking for personal information, check carefully that they are legitimate.
- Be suspicious of any correspondence from overseas asking you to forward large sums of money or advising that you have won a prize.
- If someone blocks access to your computer or personal files, and then asks for a payment to remove that block, report the incident to the Police.
- Keep up to date with the types of scams in circulation, so you can identify them if needed.
You can also register for the Australian Cyber Security Scam Alert Service for individuals, families and businesses. Learn more from the Australian Cyber Security Centre.
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