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Avoid being the victim of a scam
What is a scam?
A scam will usually require you to do something before the scam can actually work. For example, a scam is likely to offer you a product or a service for a fee, which you will then be required to pay prior to receiving that product or service. In most cases, personal details will be provided by a victim as well as the payment. Unfortunately, the product or service will not be received or it will not be of the same quality that was promised.
Please note that some scams can be easy to spot, whereas others may be more sophisticated and appear to be genuine and others can take place without you even doing anything at all.
Scams include
- Banking and online account scams
- Health and medical scams
- Chain letters and pyramid scams
- Identity theft scams
- Investment scams ('get-rich-quick')
- Job and employment scams
- Lottery and competition scams (fake prizes)
- Mobile phone scams
- Money transfer scams ('Nigerian' scams)
- Online scams
- Personalised scams
- Small business scams.
What you can do to protect yourself
If it feels too good to be true, it probably is. If in doubt, obtain advice from an independent person, particularly where an offer involves a significant amount of commitment, time or money.
Do not give out your personal details, credit card or banking details to any person that you do not know and do not trust. This includes telling someone your pin numbers for your cards – in the wrong hands, it won’t take long to access your funds. You should contact your bank or credit union if you have unauthorised transactions appearing on your bank statements.
It is always a good idea to do some further research in relation to a product or service before accepting an offer. Don’t let anyone pressure you into accepting an offer where you don’t feel comfortable doing so – this includes finalising a sale by the end of the day or week. Be sure to read all of the terms and conditions, as well as find out about refunds and returns and future customer service contact details.
Ask your mates whether they have dealt with or heard of the person or organisation that you are looking to purchase a product or service from. Past experiences will often come to light as either positive or negative experiences but it will still be up to you to use your judgement before proceeding.
Check out whether the person or organisation has a website that you can look at. Websites are readily available and affordable these days and it does not take much to create a website that looks genuine. Never enter your details onto a website that you are not certain is genuine. This includes your personal details, credit card or bank account details.
Who can you contact if you think you have been scammed?
You should report the scam (or suspected scam) to SCAMWatch (the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission).
You can also report scams to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (for financial and investment scams), the Australian Taxation Office (for tax-related schemes/scams), the Australian Communications and Media Authority (for spam emails), your bank or financial institution and the Police (for fraud, theft and other crimes).
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