Throughout the year there are periods where I receive scam calls up to twice a week.
Sometimes I am warned about my imminent arrest for tax evasion, sometimes I am informed that I have compensation money coming to me from a motor vehicle accident in which I was allegedly involved, but most often I am told by a fake Telstra representative that there is something wrong with my computer [substitute various alternative scenarios here] and that my Internet service will be cancelled unless I power up my PC and follow instructions.
I stopped listening to their spiel years ago and now simply hang up.
However, telephone and email scamming is now ubiquitous and peak scam is on us for another holiday season.......
Watch out for holiday
season scams
Scamwatch is warning
people to be careful about being caught out by holiday season scams.
“Scammers will take
advantage of special days or major events like Christmas to fleece people of
their money or personal information,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
Here are three common
holiday season scams people should look out for:
Online shopping scams: scammers will set up fake online
stores or post goods for sale in buy‑swap-sell groups or online classified
sites to trick people into buying items that don’t exist. This scam has cost
Australians nearly $3 million in 2018, with more than 8,700 reports.
Travel scams: scammers trick people into believing
they’ve won a holiday or scored a really good deal on a travel package, like a
cruise. Unfortunately the prize or the cheap accommodation are phony. In 2018,
nearly $135,000 has been lost to this scam.
Parcel delivery scams: scammers may ask you to print off a
label, do a survey, claim a prize, or view the status of your delivery by
clicking on a link or downloading an attachment. Some scammers may even call or
text with claims about an unsuccessful delivery. These scams are aimed at
getting people to download malware onto their computer, or give up their personal
information. People have lost about $31,000 to these scams in 2018.
“Scamwatch has also seen
a massive influx of reports and money lost to tax scams. In November we
received 7,500 reports of these scams and $400,000 was reported lost,” Ms
Rickard said.
“This isn’t a usual
holiday season scam, however a lot of people are getting calls from scammers
pretending to be from the tax office or the police and threatening them with
arrest over unpaid tax debts.”
“This is a scam. If you
ever get a call or email containing threats like this, hang up the phone or
delete the email,” Ms Rickard said.
Ms Rickard added that
the key to avoiding a scammer’s con these holidays is a healthy dose of
scepticism and research.
“We love snagging a
great deal online for a loved one’s Christmas present and the idea of a bargain
holiday is perfect for many after a long year. But don’t fall for it,” Ms
Rickard said.
“Be sceptical about an
online store you haven’t used before. Do some research to see if they’re
legitimate and don’t be fooled by big discounts. With travel deals, call the
accommodation provider directly, for example the cruise line or hotel, to check
if the deal is legitimate.”
“If you see a seemingly
great deal on an accommodation rental website like Airbnb, make sure you only
communicate and pay through the official site to avoid getting stung by a fake
listing,” Ms Rickard said.
“We’re all expecting
parcels this time of year but be careful about online links and never download
attachments. If you’re wondering if a delivery notice is legitimate, check the
tracking number at the Australia Post or other delivery company website, or
call them directly using a number you find from an online search or the phone
book.”
“While with friends and
family over the holidays, consider taking the opportunity to spread the
warnings about these scams particularly to those loved ones who may be
vulnerable.” Ms Rickard said.
When Jenny Hall had a
missed call on her phone and a message claiming to be from Centrelink in
relation to an adjustment to some payments, she didn’t give a second thought in
calling back.
However Ms Hall was
sceptical of the man who answered the phone when she called back and when he
called her a “f------ b----” after his legitimacy was questioned, her
suspicions were confirmed.
“I rang back and they
gave me a number to call and a claim number so I thought it sounded real,” she
said.
“I rang the number and
some guy answered the phone and at one point we got cut off, so I called back
and the same person answered and I thought that was strange.
“He claimed they went
through some records and taxes which were linked to Centrelink, which I said
was strange because I get an accountant to do my taxes.
“Then he started saying
that I needed to get a lawyer because I had a big tax bill. I said wait there
and I asked for his name and started asking him some questions.
“I said I wanted to talk
to his superior and he said that he was in charge and that’s when I knew he was
lying.”
The Australian
Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch website revealed reports of tax
scams threatening arrest or jail over unpaid debts have jumped significantly in
the past month…..
A Casino woman has a
message for shoppers after being scammed by a market stallholder at the
Jacaranda Festival Markets.
Kelly-ann Oosterbeek
bought a powdered anti-inflammatory product in Grafton, and paid the $80 by
Eftpos.
Mrs Oosterbeek was then
told the item would be posted to her.
“If you feel like anything
is slightly off with any purchase you are making, walk away,” she warned.
The “supremely weird”
transaction process made Mrs Oosterbeek feel nervous.
She was concerned enough
to take photos of the stall, and she asked to see the stallholder’s business
credentials. She also took photos of the registration, ABN and insurance, and
got a signed receipt saying the product would be posted.
“I was standing there
with my hubby, four of my six kids and my daughter’s partner – I had so many
witnesses,” Mrs Oosterbeek said.
But the product never
came.
“I want to warn people
of the Northern Rivers because the lady told me she was heading north with her
market stall,” Mrs Oosterbeek said.
Trying to give the
stallholder the benefit of the doubt, Mrs Oosterbeek waited a few days before
contacting her to make sure the product had been posted, but she claimed Mrs
Oosterbeek had been given it on the day.
“They wouldn’t budge
with their claims, saying I was trying to rip them off and eventually saying my
husband had taken the product and not told me,” she said.
“I wasn’t too worried –
I’d done everything right as a consumer and I felt really covered – so I took
the case to Fair Trading.
“Even with all of my
evidence, witness statements, and a signed receipt promising postage of the
item there was nothing they could do.”
