There is no doubt that these are very difficult times for the entire world, let alone Australia. Unfortunately, scammers are using this time of great distress and uncertainty to exploit people and businesses that are vulnerable.
The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) operates Scamwatch, which provides up-to-date information about the targets of scammers and the methods they use to exploit the fear and vulnerability of Australians and their businesses.
Currently, scammers are using the fear surrounding the coronavirus to exploit their victims by:
- Impersonating government or health authorities
- Spreading misinformation about the coronavirus
- Selling fake products to protect against coronavirus
- Offering fraudulent investment opportunities
Scammers are predominantly using email and text messages to reach their targets. In order to protect yourself and to ensure the emails you receive are legitimate, the following are just some of the strategies that you can use:
- Check the ‘From’ field, making sure that the domain is spelled correctly (the part after the ‘@’. As an example, if receiving an email from the World Health Organization ensure the email domain is “@who.int” and NOT something like “@whom.int”
- Check the spelling of the email, as scam emails often contain grammatical errors or awkward phrases, such as “Dear hello,” as the greeting
- Look out for phrases or words that convey a sense or urgency, as scammers want you act immediately (before you have had time to think)
- Never click on links within an email, and instead go to the company website directly yourself to avoid fake websites that have been created by the scammers
For more information about current scams that are targeting Australians and businesses, visit www.scamwatch.gov.au. And if you receive an email from ACR that looks suspicious, please let us know at support@acr.com.au or give us a call on (02) 4725 2020.