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According to ABC News, new data shows that phone scams are ‘exploding’ and costing vulnerable Australians millions[1].

According to ACCC’s Scamwatch, Australians lost $63.6m to scam calls and text messages in 2021. 

To help prevent this happening to you, here are some suggestions on what to look out for, to make sure that you’re not in that situation:

  • Scammers are trying to get your trust, so they’ll sometimes claim to be from a well-known business
  • They may sometimes recommend you verify they’re legitimate by going to websites that they have created or will provide you with phone numbers for call centres they own
  • Will try and create an emotional trigger for you, so that you feel like you must act on their advice.
     

According to www.scamwatch.gov.au, here are some examples of different scams and what to look out for:

Phishing scam: bank SMS

These have been doing the rounds for a while now and you may have received a new SMS from your bank. Always check these closely! There are five signs that this may be a scam:

  1. Scammers can make messages look real. Even if you’ve previously received a legitimate SMS messages from the same number, don’t assume all following messages are real. Scammers can ‘spoof’ real phone numbers or email addresses, to make it appear that they come from your actual bank or another legitimate contact.
     
  2. It's different in style from a previous SMS. The previous SMS is legitimate, and it provides information only. It tells you to log into your account but provides no links that could lead to potentially malicious websites.
     
  3. It has a malicious link. Scam SMS messages can contain a link to a phishing website. These types of websites attempt to trick you into giving out personal information such as your bank account details, passwords and credit card numbers. Even if you think the text might be real, it’s safer not to click on any links, and to log into your account by typing your bank’s URL (Uniform Resource Locator) directly into the address bar. The address bar appears at the top of your web browser, and the numbers and letters that make up the URL are the directions to the website or webpage
     
  4. It's not secure. Legitimate sites containing sensitive information will use https not http in the web address, but don’t rely on this alone — some scam sites use https too.
     
  5. It has a sense of urgency. Scams often try to create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush — take the time to think about what the message is telling you to do and consider whether it’s real.

Phishing scam: mail delivery

Consider this. You’ve recently purchased something online and you’re waiting for it to be delivered. You receive an email about a failed delivery and it’s asking you to update your details. Before you click on the link, you carefully consider the email again and realise it’s a scam.

What are the indicators that the email is a scam?

  1. You can't confirm who it's from. Check that the sender email address is authentic. If you’re unsure, contact the business directly using contact details that you've sourced independently, and you know are legitimate.
     
  2. It has spelling and grammatical errors. These types of errors are a sign that it could be a scam.
     
  3. It has a request for you to do something. The email is trying to obtain your personal details. If scammers gain access to your personal information, they can potentially steal your identity or target you with a scam. Be cautious when providing your details.
     
  4. It has a malicious link. Don’t just be wary of attachments. Watch out for links to phishing websites. It’s safer to go directly to the service provider’s website by typing the URL directly into the address bar.
     
  5. There's a sense of urgency. Scammers try to create a sense of urgency to encourage you to do something quickly. Don’t rush — as mentioned above, take the time to consider and check whether an email is real.
     

This might sound like a ‘bit of hard work’ but its always better to be safe than sorry. After all you’re protecting yourself from losing your identity, or your money … or both. 

Reference

[1] ABC News, 28 September 2021.

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This information was prepared by Resolution Life Australasia Limited ABN 84 079 300 379, AFSL No. 233671 (Resolution Life). A copy of the Product Disclosure Statement can be obtained by contacting Resolution Life. This general advice has been prepared without taking into account your particular financial needs, circumstances or objectives. You should consider the appropriateness of this information in light of your circumstances. This advice is based on our understanding of current law as at March 2022, and is based on its continuance unless stated otherwise. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information, it is not guaranteed. Resolution Life do not actively monitor breach of superannuation contribution caps. You should keep track of the contributions made to your account in respect of the caps applicable to you. You should obtain professional advice before acting on the information contained in this communication. Taxation considerations are general and based on present taxation laws and may be subject to change. You should seek independent, professional tax advice before making any decision based on this information. Resolution Life is also not a registered tax (financial) adviser under the Tax Agent Services Act 2009 and you should seek tax advice from a registered tax agent or a registered tax (financial) adviser if you intend to rely on this information to satisfy the liabilities or obligations or claim entitlements that arise, or could arise, under a taxation law.

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