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SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of fake charities [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Beware of fake charities
Added: October 2013
SCAMwatch and the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC) are reminding people to beware of scammers pretending to represent a charity or not-for-profit organisation.
How these scams work
- Fake charities operate in a number of different ways:
- You may be approached on the street or in your home by people collecting money.
- Some scammers may call you or email you with emails requesting donations.
- Scammers may also set up fake websites which look similar to those operated by real charities.
- Scammers may also play on your emotions, for example by claiming to help children who are ill.
- Fake charities occur all year round but are also created directly in response to disasters, such as floods, cyclones, earthquakes and bushfires.
Protect yourself
- Approach charity organisations directly to make a donation or offer support.
- If you are approached out of the blue by a collector:
- Ask to see their identification.
- Check the ACNC register to find out whether the charity is listed. To be registered as a charity and appear on the Register, organisations must meet the legal meaning of being a charity, and other requirements of the ACNC Act.
- Call the charity to verify that the person represents their organisation
- Don't rely on a phone number or website address given by the person who first called, visited or emailed you because they could be impersonating a legitimate charity.
- Never give out your personal, credit card or online account details unless you initiated contact and it is a trusted source.
- Don't open suspicious or unsolicited emails (spam)—delete them.
- Where possible, avoid any arrangement with a stranger who asks for up-front payment via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer. It is rare to recover money sent this way.
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Report
If you think you've spotted a scam, report a scam to SCAMwatch or contact the ACCC on 1300 795 995. You should also spread the word to your friends and family to protect them.
More information
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SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of scam surveys and fake free offers [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Beware of scam surveys and fake free offers
Added: September 2013
SCAMwatch is reminding people to beware of online scams – surveys, emails and social-media posts – offering fake gift vouchers or other bogus inducements in return for disclosing credit card and other personal information.
While many online surveys are legitimate and may be backed by some reward, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Woolworths continue to receive complaints about possible scams misusing the Woolworths name and logo, going under such titles as 'Get a free $50 Woolworths voucher' or 'Customer Satisfaction Survey'.
Scams such as these often ask people to provide credit card or other personal details, which criminals can use to commit identity theft and other fraud.
Woolworths is advising people that all its official competitions are listed at www.woolworths.com.au on its Promotions and Competitions page.
How these scams work
- These scams abuse the brand names and logos of well-known companies and products to make them look legitimate.
- As with many legitimate offers and online posts, you might be asked to complete a survey and/ or pass on an offer to others before you can claim a voucher or other inducement or enter a competition. But the scams will take your valuable information and give you only disappointment in return – the products don't arrive or the vouchers are fakes and the retailers won't honour them.
- Recent scams have related to supermarkets, coffee shops, smart phones and tablets, including offers featured on Facebook.
Example
Sharon was checking her Facebook page and found her sister had 'liked' a link to a Woolworths survey which offered a $150 voucher for a five minute survey. Sharon completed the questions and filled in personal details at the end (she was a Woolworths online customer so figured they already had her details anyway). She received the voucher in her email and went into Woolworths to do her grocery shopping only to discover at the checkout that it was a fake. When she went home she was shocked to discover unauthorised transactions on her credit card.
Protect yourself
- Be very wary when, for example, filling in surveys linked from social networking sites – being asked to provide such detailed information as Medicare numbers or credit-card security codes should ring alarm bells.
- You should check whenever you can whether offers are legitimate, even those passed on from people you know. If the offers are represented as coming directly from a particular retailer, check they are listed on the retailers' official websites – or call a business' official customer-service line. Don't click on links or call numbers listed in the offers – they can link to fake websites and even fake call centres.
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately.
Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
For more information on this particular scam, check out the Woolworths Scam Alert at http://www.woolworths.com.au/wps/wcm/connect/website/woolworths/about+us/woolworths-news/scamalert .
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
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SCAMwatch email alert: This end of financial year, look out for tax refund phishing scams [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
This end of financial year, look out for tax refund phishing scams
Added: August 2013
How these scams work
If you open the link or attachment, your computer may be infected with malicious software.
Protect yourself
Report
More information
SCAMwatch email alert: Small businesses beware –‘YellowPages’ directory scam strikes again [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Small businesses beware – 'Yellow Pages' directory scam strikes again
July 2013: SCAMwatch is warning small businesses to be alert as the fake 'Yellow Pages' business directory scam has resurfaced in Australia.
There has recently been a surge in reports from small businesses that they have received a fax claiming to be from 'Yellow Page Australia' and 'Open Business Directory Ltd' that, on first glance, appears to be seeking confirmation of their business' contact details. However, on closer inspection, the fax is in fact an agreement to sign up to an online business directory service charged at $99 per month for a minimum two-year period.
Businesses are tricked into thinking the fax is affiliated with Sensis' Yellow Pages® directory by using this well-known Australian company's name and 'Walking Fingers' logo. However, Sensis warns that 'Yellow Page Australia', 'Online Business Directory' and the website 'www.yellow-page-australia.com' are in no way connected with Sensis or Telstra.
A 'Yellow Pages' scam has previously targeted Australian businesses. In April 2011, the ACCC successfully prosecuted two overseas companies for sending thousands of these types of faxes to local businesses. The Federal Court imposed penalties totalling $2.7 million against the perpetrators. Authorities in the United States and Canada also successfully prosecuted other scammers behind this global scheme. Whilst the perpetrators from this round of faxes appear to be different, the conduct is nearly identical.
Scammers are very sophisticated these days, targeting small businesses at busy times when they're more vulnerable to fall victim. The perpetrators behind this 'Yellow Pages' scam are more than likely taking advantage of the new financial year period to trick busy businesses into signing up to an unwanted service. While reports suggest that Aussie businesses are alert to the scam and haven't been duped, this batch of faxes indicates an invoice due date right in the middle of tax time. As in the past, these scammers may soon start hassling businesses for payments, including threatening them with late payment fees. They may also switch to other delivery methods such as email, letter or phone to approach their targets.
SCAMwatch urges small businesses to be alert and follow these three key rules:
- If you receive a 'Yellow Pages' fax or email, just bin it or press 'delete' – Sensis will never approach you this way.
- If you receive a threatening call, email or fax demanding payment, ignore it and report it.
- Spread the word – make sure your staff are alert to how this scam works and how to protect your business (see below).
Don't let scammers slip under your business's radar during tax time – stop and think twice before you respond to any unexpected offers, tax invoices or demands for payment.
How these scams work
- Your business receives a fax or email out of the blue from an online business directory asking you to confirm your contact details. On closer inspection of the form's small print, it specifies details of an agreement to sign up to their advertising services.
- To make the offer appear legitimate, the fax or email claims to come from a well-known business, complete with their logo and branding. It may also include a link to a website that has a reputable-sounding domain name and all the hallmarks of a professional site.
- If you sign and return the form, the scammer will claim that you have accepted their offer and are locked in to pay an expensive ongoing contract, such as $99 per month for a minimum two-year period. They may demand payment 12 months in advance.
- If you refuse to pay, the scammers might try to intimidate you by threatening legal action or debt collection.
Protect yourself
- Make sure the business you are dealing with is the real deal – if you receive a form or tax invoice out of the blue, verify who they are by contacting the company directly using contact details you sourced independently through a phone book or online search. Do not call a number on the fax or email you have received.
- Don't respond – ignore unexpected or suspicious approaches to your business, whether it be via fax, letter, email, at your store or over the phone. Bin it, delete it, shut the door or just hang up.
- Protect your details – never give or clarify any information about your business unless you trust the other party. Also ensure you know what the information will be used for.
- Make yours a 'fraud-free' business – effective management procedures can go a long way towards preventing scams. Have a clearly defined process for verifying and paying accounts and invoices, and try to avoid giving too many staff authorisation to make orders or pay invoices.
- Don't be intimidated – do not let anyone pressure you into making decisions involving payments or ongoing contracts. If you are unsure, always seek independent financial or legal advice.
Report
If you think you have come across a scammer, you can report it to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
For more information on how these scams work, check out the small business scams section on SCAMwatch.
For more information on the ACCC's successful 2011 court action against this type of scam, see the media release '$2.7 million penalty for fake "Yellow Pages" directory scam'.
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of immigration scams [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
July 2013: SCAMwatch and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship are warning people who have migrated to Australia or are currently temporary visa holders to be cautious of immigration-related scams.
These scams come in all sorts of guises, and often play on the victim's fear of being deported.
One such scam doing the rounds involves visa holders receiving calls out of the blue from someone pretending to be from an Australian government agency or department, and claiming that there is a problem with their 'Citizenship and Immigration Services Alien' (CISA) number or card. The scammer will demand that the person pay an upfront fee – usually around $900 – or risk deportation.
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship warns that the 'CISA' number is bogus and does not exist. You should also not be fooled if the scammer has your personal information handy such as birth date and nationality; these days, this sort of information can be gained from a variety of sources such as social networking forums.
The Australian Government will never call you to demand a payment in relation to your visa to avoid being deported – if you receive such a call, just hang up.
How these scams work
- You receive a call out of the blue from someone claiming that there is a problem with your visa and that you need to pay money upfront to avoid risking deportation.
- The scammer may pretend to be from the Department of Immigration and Citizenship, the Australian High Commission, Customs and Border Protection, or incorrect government departments such as Customs House, Canberra Border Security and Citizenship, and Immigration Services Australia.
- The scammer may state that the payment is in relation to the fictitious 'Citizenship and Immigration Services Alien' or 'CISA' card.
- The scammer will concoct all sorts of elaborate stories to trick you into thinking there is something wrong with your visa, such as you must purchase a 'CISA' card, you failed to provide information for the card, or the card's details need to be updated or fixed.
- The scammer may also have a lot of information on hand about you such as your full name, address, date of birth, nationality and details about your visa status.
- You may feel a lot of pressure to hand over your money, with scammers reportedly calling victims multiple times and threatening deportation.
- The scammer will instruct you to send them the money via money transfer. If you hand over any money, you will never see it again.
Protect yourself
- If you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from government and asking for money upfront to avoid deportation, just hang up. There is only one official Australian Government provider of visas: the Department of Immigration and Citizenship. If you have any concerns about your visa, contact them directly using their official contact details, which are available at: www.immi.gov.au.
- Be on guard – just because someone seems to have a lot of information on hand about you, it doesn't mean that they're the real deal. Scammers go to all sorts of lengths to get to know you, including collecting personal information online through websites and social networking forums.
- Never provide your personal details to a stranger—scammers will use your details to commit identity fraud.
- Never send money to a stranger via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer – it's rare to recover money sent this way.
Report
You should such incidents to the relevant state or territory police and to the Immigration Dob-In Line on 1800 009 623.
You can report a scam to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
The Department of Immigration and Citizenship provides further detailed information on how to Protect Yourself from Migration Fraud.
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website http://www.scamwatch.gov.au.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
SCAMwatch email alert: Don’t let your heart be blackmailed [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
July 2013: SCAMwatch is again warning those looking for love online to stay on the lookout for scammers.
SCAMwatch continues to receive complaints about scammers targeting the lonely hearted online, using fake profiles on genuine internet dating sites and online forums to form a relationship with an unsuspecting victim. Once trust is gained, the scammer quickly attempts to move the victim away from the site and its security to communicate and manipulate them into handing over money.
In a new twist, scammers are blackmailing victims by threatening to send potentially compromising photos or videos to their family and friends if money is not transferred immediately. Scammers will capture photos or videos from webcam chats with the victim and then threaten to post them on public sites. If the scammer has access to their victim's social network profile, they will also threaten to send the link to the victim's family and friends. If the victim pays, the scammer may demand further payment before removing the image or video.
Scammers have a cold heart and will not hesitate to blackmail those seeking love online. Avoid a broken heart, financial losses and embarrassment – don't share intimate photos or videos with someone that you don't know and trust.
How these scams work
- You meet someone online, such as through a dating or social networking website, whom you seem to 'connect' with. The person may claim to have similar likes and dislikes or have gone through similar experiences.
- Once they have built up trust and a rapport with you – which can take just a few weeks or several months – they profess to have strong feelings for you.
- They invite you to communicate with them via a webcam. If you agree to chat, they may ask you to share or do something intimate.
- After the video chat, the scammer informs you that they recorded the chat sessions without your knowledge. They then demand payment, threatening to share the footage with your family and friends via your social networking profile.
- The scammer may have already posted the video live on public sites and will demand payment in order to remove the footage. The scammer may demand several payments before the footage is taken down.
- If you don't send money, the scammer may become more persistent or direct.
Protect yourself
- Keep your personal details personal: Never share personal information or photos with someone you don't know and trust. Be particularly wary if someone invites you to communicate via webcam – these days, it's easy to record live footage.
- Watch out: if an online admirer asks to communicate with you outside the dating website, such as through a private email address or over the phone, be wary – they could be a scammer.
- Think twice: Never send money to a stranger via money order, wire transfer or international funds transfer – it's rare to recover money sent this way.
- Report: If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Report
If you think you have come across a scammer, you can report it to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
For more information on how these scams work, check out the dating and romance scams page on SCAMwatch.
SCAMwatch has previously issued the following radars on dating and romance scams:
- Protect your wallet and your heart this Valentine's Day
- Valentines Day - Don't fall head-over-heels for a scammer.
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.
You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/.
If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
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