In 2023, South Australians have already lost over $15 million to scams, with 13,183 cases reported to the ACCC’s Scamwatch.
Today, Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs Andrea Michaels is convening a forum at the Colonel Lights Garden Uniting Church between 10am and 12pm. Joined by Labor MP for Elder, Nadia Clancy, and representatives from SAPOL, the session aims to educate locals on scam red flags and protective measures.
The Consumer and Business Services (CBS) has highlighted the most prevalent scams:
- Romance Scams: Deceivers feign romantic interest, manipulating emotions to extract money, gifts, or personal information.
- Investment Scams: Offering unrealistic high returns or guarantees, these scams tempt victims with get-rich-quick schemes.
- Classified Scams: Fraudsters mislead online shoppers on classified platforms, presenting themselves as authentic sellers. Victims often receive false payment confirmation emails but never receive the promised goods.
- Selling Scams: Perpetrators pose as genuine buyers, sometimes overpaying and requesting the difference back. When sellers oblige, they find out the original payment was fraudulent, leading to losses on multiple fronts.
Of particular concern is a deceptive website targeting South Australian seniors. This site falsely charges users for a Seniors Card.
The misleading website, https://ddec1-0-en-ctp.trendmicro.com:443/wis/clicktime/v1/query?url=www.seniorscardportal.au&umid=b9498617-a255-4b21-a4c5-6f63c6899fd6&auth=31b3389d2029d6193e31688a03b09fa6d287cd51-b1d6328f727447b857aa89117fd452ea3bb2114f, claims to be ‘officially approved’ and charges applicants a fee of $29 to coordinate the application process.
To clarify, the authentic SA Seniors Card is always issued free, and no payment or financial details are ever solicited during the application process.
CBS officers, when contacted about scams, direct individuals to report to Scamwatch. They also offer protective advice and connect callers with SAPOL when necessary.
The National Anti-Scam Centre has spotlighted a surge in scams through social media, with investment scams causing the most financial harm nationwide.
To counteract scams, public awareness is crucial. Minister Michaels emphasizes the importance of recognizing warning signs such as:
- Too-good-to-be-true money-making opportunities.
- Unknown individuals asking for financial assistance.
- Suspicious links or attachments in messages.
- Urgency or high-pressure tactics.
- Requests for uncommon or specific payment methods.
- Instructions to establish new accounts or PayIDs.
Minister Michaels says the best way to avoid being scammed is to know what red flags to look for.
“Forums like this one are an important opportunity to share information on the latest scams that are going around and provide advice on how to avoid being tricked. Many of us believe we would never fall for a scam but scammers are becoming more sophisticated and taking advantage of new technology to target people,” she says.
“If you’ve been contacted by someone out of the blue, even if they claim to be from the government or a trusted business, always consider that it may be a scam. Don’t send money or give bank or personal details to anyone you don’t know or trust.”
“A government agency or trusted business will never ask you to pay by unusual methods such as with gift cards, iTunes cards, wire transfers or bitcoin. Never open anything that looks suspicious including text messages, pop-up windows, links or attachments in emails.”
Morning tea will be provided at the forum.
For further details on scams, support for victims, or to report scams, please consult www.scamwatch.gov.au.
WHAT: Scam Forum.
WHERE: Colonel Lights Garden Uniting Church, 560 Goodwood Rd, Daw Park SA 5041
WHEN: Today, 8th September, between 10am and 12pm.
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