Scammers are increasingly using fake charities or impersonating real charities to take advantage of people’s generosity and compassion, with losses reported to the ACCC’s Scamwatch increasing steadily over the past four years.
Scamwatch is urging all Australians who lost money to a scammer through Western Union from 2004 to 2017 to take action by the extended deadline of 31 May to try to get it back.
With tax time in full swing, Scamwatch is again urging consumers and small businesses to be aware of scammers taking advantage of the busy nature of tax time to target you.
In February the ACCC received a spike in contacts about fake rebate schemes so we are warning people to be aware of calls from a fake government department claiming you are owed money.
SCAMwatch is encouraging Australians who are considering donating to bushfire appeals to make sure they double check whether the appeal or its organisers are legitimate so that their generosity reaches victims, not scammers.
