Requests for money transfers, phishing and fake missed calls or text messages are among the top five methods being used by scammers to target Victorians, according to data from Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Commenting on the data the Minister for Consumer Affairs, Melissa Horne said promises of large sums of money in return for an upfront payment topped the list of commonly reported scams, with 660 reports in 2020-21 compared to just 330 in the previous financial year.
Ms Horne said Consumer Affairs received more than 2,000 reports of scams last financial year, with money transfer scams closely followed by phishing scams (stealing personal details via email, text, or voicemail) with 567 reports; missed call and text message scams, 315 reports; investment and financial scams, 182 reports; and fake tradies, 105 reports.
She said many people who experienced a scam never reported it to anyone due to feelings of shame, but it was important to talk about scams to reduce stigma and prevent them from happening in the first place.
“There is no shame in being caught out by a scam and it’s important to keep having conversations to understand the warning signs before it’s too late,” Ms Horne said.
“Scams can cause both financial and emotional distress.
“The best defence is to speak out, educate yourself on what a scam looks like and continue raising awareness to prevent others falling victim.”
Ms Horne encouraged people to keep conversations about scams going by reminding their family and friends to do their research before sending any payment to online sellers and to never give money or provide bank details in order to claim a prize.
