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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.
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Scammers swindled nearly $4.7 million from Australian businesses in 2017 according to the ACCC’s latest Targeting scams report – a 23 per cent increase compared to 2016.
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Scamwatch is warning people to watch out for scammers setting up fake ads pretending to sell adorable puppies, with more than $310,000 lost and 584 reports about this scam in the past 12 months.
![](/sites/www.scamwatch.gov.au/files/styles/scamwatch_news/public/featured/scam-type-prod-copy.png?itok=qpn6ispY)
If you lost money to a scammer through Western Union from 2004 to 2017, you may be eligible for a refund. Find out how you can make a claim.
![](/sites/www.scamwatch.gov.au/files/styles/scamwatch_news/public/featured/money%20pile_0.jpg?itok=Vk_ArGps)
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.