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Scammers are getting increasingly sophisticated in their attempts to get your money or personal details.
Scams target people of all backgrounds, ages, and income levels across Australia. There’s no one group of people who are more likely to become a victim of a scam, all of us may be vulnerable to a scam at some time.
Scams succeed because they look like the real thing and catch you off guard when you’re not expecting it. Scammers are getting smarter and taking advantage of new technology, new products or services, and major events to create believable stories that will convince you to give them your money or personal details.
Be alert and protect yourself from being scammed by following our tips:
Be aware that scams exist.
When dealing with a new or unwanted contact, always consider the possibility that it may be a scam. Remember, if it looks too good to be true, it probably is.
Know who you’re dealing with.
If a Facebook business page only has a few photos or posts, do a quick Google search to see if they’re legitimate. If in doubt, find their website and check if they have a Facebook account listed on it and if the pages match.
Do not give out your personal details.
Some online forms will ask for your personal details, but never give out these details in a chat, message, or email. Your personal details include; your home address, previous addresses, date of birth, passwords, and credit card numbers.
Change your passwords.
If you have given out these details, it would be a good idea to change your passwords. It is common for people to use passwords that are a combination of information that can be found on their social media accounts (pet names, family members’ names, etc.) and personal details (date of birth, address, etc.). You can protect yourself by changing your passwords to something more difficult; a combination of numbers, letters, and symbols are strong passwords, as well as long phrases or quotes that are easy for you to remember but hard to guess.