‘Scams are increasing rapidly throughout Australia’

Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) Scamwatch issued the alert right this moment, saying they’ve acquired 209 studies over the previous 4 months.

The warning comes after new analysis by client advocacy group CHOICE confirmed 9 out of 10 individuals have encountered a rip-off previously 12 months, prompting the declaration, “scams are increasing rapidly throughout Australia”.

Australians are more and more encountering scams as fraudsters make use of subtle expertise to masks them, CHOICE stated.

The analysis launched by the buyer advocacy group additionally discovered an additional 50 per cent of respondents stated they encountered a suspected rip-off each week.

“Scams are increasing rapidly throughout Australia, often creating significant distress and financial hardship for victims. New technological advances mean scams are also becoming more difficult to identify,” CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland stated.

“Our research found 88 per cent of people say scams have become more sophisticated or harder to spot recently.

“We urgently want stronger guidelines that require companies to do extra to guard individuals from scams. At the second, firms like banks, digital platforms and telcos are merely not doing sufficient to safeguard the group.”

How does the new loyalty scam work?

Customers of loyalty programs will receive either a text, or email, that contains a link to a fake website.

When a customer logs in, scammers will then steal their points, login details and other sensitive personal information to “commit id fraud”, ACCC said.

Deputy Chair of ACCC Catriona Lowe said any customer of any loyalty program needs to think twice before clicking any link.

”While the overwhelming majority of studies to Scamwatch acquired to date are in relation to Qantas Frequent Flyer, Telstra and Coles loyalty packages, it is crucial for Australians to remember that any loyalty program may very well be referred to,” she said

“We are very involved that Australians experiencing cost-of-living pressures could also be extra vulnerable to those scams.

“Scammers are deliberately panicking consumers by claiming their points are expiring soon.

“We urge individuals to right away delete or ignore any message relating to a loyalty program that incorporates a hyperlink.”

“The National Anti-Scam Centre has contacted the businesses which were impersonated by scammers and is working with internet host suppliers to have the pretend web sites taken down, to minimise hurt to the group,” Lowe added.