Orange Credit Union CEO Andrew de Graaff said scammers were using a range of methods to target people to steal money.

The OCU held a forum to make people make aware of fraud and how to avoid scams in Orange on Thursday.

"We used to get probably maybe one call every other week, to suddenly now we are now getting half a dozen to a dozen calls possibly a day," he said.

Mr de Graaff said not all were actual scams but people were becoming more wary.

"They're just checking in. 'Is this a scam, is this a potential scam," he said.

He said COVID-19 had led to an increase in scams.

"There has been a spike in scams and frauds that have happened as a result of COVID because everyone was locked in the house," he said.

"The scammers took the opportunity to prey on vulnerable individuals. They are so incredibly ingenious as to finding ways as to infiltrate into your life.

"COVID increased the number of people actually doing online shopping and a result of online shopping is people normally would be getting texts from their online shopping provider saying your package is on the way. What scammers have now done is they have sent out generic texts to phones with links saying your package is on the way without actually being specific as to who they are sending the text from."

He said they invited people to click on the link.

"As soon as they click on the link they getting encouraged to download an app or add an extra payment."

He said there no specific place scammers were based.

"They're in Australia, they're overseas, they're the combination of both."

He said they wanted people to be more sceptical.

"If someone calls you and claims to be from somewhere don't take their word for it. Just be sceptical, ask a lot of questions. Tell them you'll call them back.

"If it's the Tax Office, tell the Tax Office you'll call them back.

"If it's the NBN, tell them you don't deal with the NBN because no one deals directly with the NBN. And say you are going to call your utility provider yourself.

"No bank will actually ask you for your password for your internet banking because the banks don't store that information. No staff member has access to that information.

"So check, double check and be sceptical about these phone calls you receive."

Mr de Graaf said the OCU planned to hold more forums on scams.

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