News and alerts

…Scam alert: Online dating and investment scams … about online dating and investment scams. Text includes description of how the scam works, copied under this heading on the page. Statistics outline the impact of these scams on the community in 2023. 484 reports … How to spot the scam…

…$22.7 million lost to dating scams in 2015 … . Last year, 2,620 Australians reported losing almost $23 million to dating and romance scams to the ACCC. [] “Romance scams continue to cause significant emotional and financial harm to the community. We know these … devastating. This is why disrupting relationship scams continues to be a priority for the ACCC,” Ms Rickard…

…National Anti-Scam Centre … News In May 2023, the government funded the ACCC to set up a new National Anti-Scam Centre. The centre will bring together experts from government and the private sector to tackle harmful scams. In May 2023, the government funded the ACCC to set up a new National Anti-Scam Centre over 3 years. Its…

…Don’t let weight loss scams ruin your resolve this New Year … News SCAMwatch is warning consumers to beware of weight loss scams when looking to fulfil a new year’s resolution. SCAMwatch is warning consumers to beware of weight loss scams when looking to fulfil … pills, patches or creams. Weight loss scams often involve people signing up to a free trial of a weight…

… by romance and dating scams. Australians are being urged to have a heart-to-heart with their friends … the heartache caused by scams. Download a printable version of the infographic: Dating and romance scams infographic ( PDF 170.83 KB ) Cover of dating and romance scams document New Scamwatch data reveals more than … Signs of a romance scam…

…Romance baiting scams on the rise … and romance scams. Total losses are expected to be much higher and scammers are now using dating apps to lure victims into investment scams. Australians reported a record-breaking $37 million lost to Scamwatch last year for dating and romance scams. Total losses are expected to be much higher and scammers are now … In 2020, there were 7,314 reports of investment scams with losses over $66 million.…

… romance scams making up one fifth of losses across all scams reported to Scamwatch in 2019. Scammers are using new online platforms to take advantage of their victims, with dating and romance scams making up one fifth of losses across all scams reported to Scamwatch in 2019. Australians reported almost 4,000 … 31.4 per cent of dating and romance scams occurred via social media and online forums. The highest losses (over 33 per cent or $9.1 million) occurred via social media. Instagram was the most common social … dating and romance scams. Women reported 54.9 per cent (2165 reports) of all dating and romance scam…

… according to the ACCC’s annual Targeting Scams report released this week. Australians who are older, Indigenous or have disability reported record losses in 2018 according to the ACCC’s annual Targeting Scams … scams are the most financially harmful because the scammers invest time and money into convincing sales…

…Payment redirection scams cost Australian businesses $128 million in 2020 … News Payment redirection scams were the most financially damaging scams for Australian businesses in 2020 according to the ACCC’s latest Targeting Scams report. Payment redirection scams were the most financially damaging scams for Australian businesses in 2020 according to the ACCC’s latest Targeting Scams … The ACCC’s annual Targeting Scams Report includes data from Scamwatch, Report Cyber, other government agencies, banks and payment providers.…

…Scammers capitalise on pandemic as Australians lose record $851 million to scams … News Australians lost over $851 million to scams in 2020, a record amount, as scammers took advantage of the pandemic to con unsuspecting people, according to the ACCC’s latest Targeting Scams report released today. Australians lost over $851 million to scams in 2020, a record amount, as scammers took … The 2020 Targeting Scams report includes data from Scamwatch, ReportCyber, other government agencies, and 10 banks and financial intermediaries.  Highest scam losses reported to banks and government…