Tag Archive for Scammers

Scam Losses reported to Scamwatch exceed $211 million

Scamwatch is urging people to be extra vigilant about scams after Australians reported a record $211 million in losses to scams so far this year, an 89 per cent increase compared to the same period last year, according to new data from Scamwatch. The losses, reported between 1 January and 19 September, have already surpassed…

ATO Warns: Scammers impersonating ATO phone numbers

The Australian Taxation Office (ATO) is warning about the continuation of unprecedented numbers of pre-recorded phone calls experienced last year which impersonate legitimate tax office phone numbers. Assistant Commissioner Gavin Siebert said that scammers have adopted ‘Robocall’ technology to target taxpayers across the country. “Scammers are sending pre-recorded messages in record numbers and are manipulating…

Lookout for Romance Scammers

Scamwatch is urging tech-savvy daters to be on the lookout for romance scammers this Valentine’s Day as data shows these scams are increasingly happening through social media and dating apps. “Scammers tend to go where people are, and in the dating world that increasingly means on social media and dating apps,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia…

Scammers targeting Victorians with ABS Scam

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) is advising the Victorian community to be aware of a scam which tries to obtain personal and financial information over the phone. “The scam is a concern because it is seeking to obtain personal and financial information purporting to be from, or representing, the ABS,” said ABS Chief Operating…

Nearly $90mill lost to scams in 2013

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Targeting Scams Report 2013 reveals that over 90,000 Australians reported scams to the ACCC last year, with $89,136,975 million reported lost, this figure was down on the $93 million that was lost in 2012. With the start of National Fraud Week the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce, led by the…