People were increasingly feeling lonely or being duped in sales of items such as puppies by scammers claiming government restrictions meant no viewing before purchase, ACCC deputy chairwoman Delia Rickard told The Australian Financial Review.īut top of the scams this year remained investment fraud, worth $328 million. Still, the latest rise was blamed partly on COVID-19. The 2020 total is up on the $634 million from 2019, although that figure had only big four banks among the private entity figures. The Targeting Scams data is combined from the ACCC, other government agencies, and 10 banks and financial intermediaries. If his worries prove founded – and the signs are not great – then he is a victim of ruses that roped in $851 million from people in the past year, according to figures released on Monday by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. If anyone falls victim to a scam, they should contact their bank and then report it to their local police too.John Luxford is a 53-year-old former builder nursing bad neck injuries and a horrible fear he has been suckered for $40,000 in a foreign exchange-investment scam. Police also reminded people not to engage with scammers and to report any incidents to them immediately.

While most did not buy into to the scam, police urged people to make sure vulnerable and elderly family members, who were more vulnerable, were aware of these tactics.īanks, police, and government agencies will never contact people out of the blue and ask for your password, credit card or bank details. 'The scammer then attempts to obtain the victim's credit card information.' 'Victims of this scam have received a message from an unknown number, claiming to be a loved one who has just lost their phone and got a replacement. However, the scam had now evolved to the point that they also impersonate banks, police or a government agency, police said.

Police advice is: if in doubt as to a person's legitimacy, ask if you can call them back, or if you know them well, ask them a personal question - for example their date of birth, maiden name, pet name or name of a sibling. The scammers usually pretend to be loved ones in difficulty and in particular need of money, police said.

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