The ACCC is warning people to stay alert to ‘phishing’ scammers pretending to be from well-known businesses and government departments trying to con unsuspecting victims out of their personal information and money.
Nearly 6000 businesses reported being targeted by scams in 2016 according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Targeting Scams report, with losses totalling around $3.8 million, an increase of almost 31 per cent.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is warning people to watch out for dodgy internet pop-up windows claiming there are viruses or other seemingly nasty tech problems affecting their computer.
The ACCC is warning people to be wary of scammers when looking for romance online with social media now the most common method scammers use to contact potential victims.
SCAMwatch and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are urging consumers and small businesses to be aware of tax refund email scams, with scammers taking advantage of the busy nature of tax time to target you.
SCAMwatch and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are warning people who have migrated to Australia or are currently temporary visa holders to be cautious of immigration-related scams.