Don’t rush, don’t click, don’t pay: Tips to avoid impersonation scams

THE National Anti-Scam Centre is urging consumers to stop and ask themselves if they know who they are communicating with, as financial losses from impersonation scams top $92 million this year.

Led by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), the National Anti-Scam Centre was launched in July in a bid to educate consumers about the risk of and reduce the harms caused by scams.

ACCC deputy chair, Catriona Lowe, said scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics to convince their victims they are from trusted sources, including banks, government agencies and even friends and family.

These tactics are aided by advances in technology, making scams harder to detect and avoid.

“That’s why we are urging consumers to take a minute and ask themselves if the person they are communicating with – whether it be online or by text, phone or email – is really who they say they are,” Ms Lowe said.

“Scammers deliberately put their victims under pressure and make them feel like they need to act quickly, such as making claims there has been suspicious activity on their bank account.

“Don’t rush to act. Take a moment to consider if it could be a scam.”

Impersonation scams now account for 3 in every 4 scams reported to the National Anti-Scam Centre, with the most common involving road toll, Australian government and family member impersonations.

Bank impersonation scams also remain common and typically result in the largest financial losses for consumers.

“Don’t be afraid to hang up the phone – it’s never rude to protect yourself from scams,” Ms Lowe said.

“A person calling from a legitimate business or agency should understand if you prefer to call them back, using contact details you have sourced independently.”

“Likewise, never click a link in a text message or open an attachment in an email if you were not expecting the text or email. We know these are tactics used by scammers to steal personal information.”

“About 16 per cent of all impersonation scams this year, involved a loss of personal information, which can ultimately lead to identity theft and financial losses.”

Consumers are also encouraged to use strong passwords for their online accounts, to update these passwords regularly and to be cautious of anyone making contact via encrypted messaging platforms.

Similarly, consumers are reminded that legitimate businesses or agencies will not require them to take immediate action and to avoid any arrangements that require payment up-front via bank transfer, PayID or cryptocurrency.

The National Anti-Scam Centre does, however, advise consumers to act quickly if they feel something has gone wrong.

If you have lost money to a scam, contact your bank immediately.

If you have provided personal information to anyone you don’t know, call IDCARE on 1800 595 160.