Buying a puppy that doesn't exist or clicking on a malicious link in a text message are among the thousands of scams Australians have fallen prey to this year.
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A record $211 million in losses to scams have been reported across the country this year, an 89 per cent increase on last year. About a third of people who are scammed never tell anyone, so the true numbers are probably much higher.
Flubots are one of the most common scams doing the rounds - you receive an unusual text message asking you to download an app for a delivery, or to view photos, but clicking the link will install malicious software on your phone. Since August, Scamwatch has received more than 16,000 reports of this kind of scam and it's just one example of the way scams are evolving and becoming more sophisticated.
Orange Credit Union CEO Andrew de Graaff said he'd seen a significant increase in financial crimes targeting customers since the onset of the pandemic. One of the most common frauds was buying goods on the internet, including puppies, where money is transferred but goods never arrive.
"Since the start of this year, more than 20 people have reported a scam or fraudulent activity to our team because they have noticed suspicious activity on their accounts. They have either been tricked into depositing money into a scammers bank account or their bank account has been compromised in some way.
"Unfortunately, despite our best efforts in tracing the funds, in 9 out of 10 cases, the funds cannot be recovered."
To help the public to fight back, the Credit Union regularly holds free fraud and scam prevention workshops, including a free workshop in Orange in June this year. And as part of Scam Awareness Week, it's released these five tips to avoid falling victim to a scam:
- If you receive a text message that contains a link, don't click on it unless you're confident it's legitimate. Regularly install operating system updates and use anti-virus software.
- Never provide personal or banking details to someone you don't know, and never provide banking passcodes (including authentication codes received via phone or email) to anyone.
- If you receive a suspicious request from someone who says they represent an organisation or government agency, call back using details you find in an independent search, rather than details they give you.
- Be wary of unusual payment requests. Scammers will often ask you to use an unusual payment method, like preloaded debit cards, gift cards, iTunes cards or virtual currency like Bitcoin.
- Anyone who has provided their banking details to a scammer should contact their bank or financial institution immediately.
To report a scam, go to scamwatch.gov.au
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