Could you spot a scam?
Today marks the start of Scams Awareness Week 2024, which is about trying to stop scammers in their tracks!
There are several ways you can protect yourself from falling victim to scams, and Scams Awareness Week 2024 is here to guide you.
Scammers are criminals who manipulate and deceive you into giving them your money or personal information. DVA encourages you to make yourself a harder target for scammers by staying up to date on the latest scam alerts, and to keep your personal details safe.
Make sure you know these three important steps: stop, check, report.
- STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Say no, hang up, delete.
- CHECK – Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust – like MyGov, your bank, the police or the government. If you’re not sure, call the official phone number of the organisation to check.
- REPORT – The more we talk, the less power scammers have. If you come across a scam, report it to scamwatch.gov.au.
If a scammer has taken your money or personal details, make sure to contact your bank directly. Ask them to put a stop on all transactions and, if it makes you feel safer, request new account numbers.
IDCARE is the best support for anyone in Australia and New Zealand concerned about identity and cyber fraud. They can help you create an individual plan to limit the damage of the scammers.
To help you stay up to date on the latest scams, the National Anti-Scam Centre run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has created the Scamwatch website. They have a newsletter that will keep you informed about the latest scams. You can register to receive the newsletter from the subscribe page of the Scamwatch website.
If you or a family member are victims of a scam you might feel distressed. Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling offers support services for veterans and families 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you need support, contact Open Arms by visiting the Open Arms website or by phoning 1800 011 046.