Home & Lifestyle Winter 2022

Central Coast Retirement Lifest yle

A ccording to Scamwatch by the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), Australians lost over $300m in scams last year, with over 280,000 reports of scams made in 2021 alone. Most scams are made via phone call, text message and email; and tech-savvy older Australians are often a target for scammers, as they might be more financially comfortable. Scammers are also getting smarter, taking advantage of technology and major events such as COVID-19 to create believable stories and convince you to hand over money or details. By keeping informed you can avoid these traps. FLUBOT SCAMS - Since August 2021, many Australians have been receiving scam text messages about missed calls, voicemails, deliveries and photo uploads. The text messages ask you to tap on a link to download or access something. Doing so will download a specific type of malware to your device. These are ‘Flubot’ text messages. Flubot is malicious software (malware) that sends text messages to both Androids and iPhones. There are a large number of different types of Flubot text messages and scammers are updating them all the time. We strongly recommend that you never click on the links in these messages. It is best to delete them immediately. PAYMENT REDIRECTION SCAMS – if you are a business, a scammer posing as one of your regular suppliers will tell you that their banking details have changed. They will provide you with a new bank account number and ask that all future payments are processed accordingly. The scam is often only detected when your regular supplier asks why they have not been paid. Example: John updated supplier details and it ended up costing thousands. Best to give them a call to check. Once scammers have hacked your computer or mobile device they can access your personal information, change your passwords, and restrict access to your system. They will use the information they obtain to commit fraudulent activities, such as identity theft or they could obtain direct access to your banking and credit card details. FAKE CHARITY approaches occur all year round and often take the form of a response to real disasters or emergencies, such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes and bushfires. Scammers will pose as either agents of legitimate well-known charities or create their own charity name. This can include charities that conduct medical research or support disease sufferers and their families. They may also pose as individuals needing donations for health or other reasons. Scammers may also play on your emotions by claiming to help children who are ill. Types of Scams to be aware of

If you are asked to buy a ticket or pay a fee to claim any kind of prize, it’s likely a scam.

Fake charities operate in a number of different ways. You may be approached on the street or at your front door by people collecting money. Scammers may also set up fake websites which look similar to those operated by real charities. Some scammers will call or email you requesting a donation. IMPOSTER SCAMS - This is when you receive a text message, email or phone call from someone claiming to be a business or government organisations. At the moment, some very common imposter scams involve the scammer pretending to be Australia Post, Amazon, MyGov or the ATO. It’s important to look carefully here and triple-check anything before clicking on links and attachments, or offering any information. Verify the identity of the sender by calling the relevant organisation. Find their phone number independently through the phone book or online search. This is a good way to check, for example, ask your bank if they need to speak to you. Or log into your My Gov account and check if you need to update information. Google can correctly identify many scams making the rounds. Never send money, credit card details or copies of personal documents to anyone you don’t know or trust. LOTTERY SCAMS - If you receive a notification claiming that you’ve won any kind of money – or any other kind of prize, such as a home, tropical holiday or a laptop - it’s likely a sweepstake scam. The scammers try to trick you into giving money upfront, or your personal information, for a lottery or a competition that you never entered. They’ll also often include some urgency to inspire you to hand over money faster.

ONLINE ROMANCE - Scammers will often develop a strong relationship before asking for money to help with costs associated with illness, injury, travel or another kind of crisis. And they can play the long game – sometimes taking months to ask for cash! Don't give money to anyone you don't know!

Think twice before accepting a friend request from someone you don’t know.

If you begin speaking with someone online, watch out for inconsistencies in their story; people who aren’t willing to video chat, or who claim they are overseas or serving in the army and mostly unavailable. QUICK TIPS FOR AVOIDING SCAMS - • Avoiding writing your usernames and passwords down anywhere where someone might see them – such as a post-it note on the device itself. • Change your passwords every three to six months and avoid anything that might be easily guessed. • Double-check web addresses by looking at the URL. If it has a little lock next to it, and a secure address – for example, if it starts with https:// - it’s most likely the real deal. With your personal information, scammers can: • access and drain your bank account • open new bank accounts in your name and take out loans or lines of credit • take out phone plans and other contracts • purchase expensive goods in your name • steal your superannuation • gain access to your government online services • access your email to find more sensitive information • access your social media accounts and impersonate you to scam your family and friends.

If you didn’t enter a competition – you haven’t won!

22 Home & Lifestyle Magazine | Winter 2022