The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has reported that Australians have lost at least $16 million so far this year to thieves of their identity and personal information.
The ACCC said four in 10 Scamwatch reports in 2019 involved attempts to gain information or the actual loss of victims’ information.
Deputy Chair of the ACCC, Delia Rickard said anyone who thought scammers might have gained access to their personal information, even if it was completely unrelated to their finances, should immediately contact their bank.
“Timeliness in alerting your financial institution is absolutely crucial, and will give you the best possible chance at recovering your funds,” Ms Rickard said.
She said some of the ways scammers obtained personal or banking information were through phishing emails and text messages which impersonated banks or utility providers; fake online quizzes and surveys’ and fake job advertisements.
“No one is really selling an iPhone for $1, or rewarding the completion of a survey with expensive electronic goods or large gift vouchers,” Ms Rickard said.
“They’re scams to get your valuable personal information.”
She said identity thieves could make victims’ lives a nightmare.
“They’ll change the victims’ phone carrier so they lose service and set up mail redirections so they’re in the dark about what’s going on.”
She said scammers could empty victims’ bank accounts, take out tens of thousands of dollars in bank loans under victims’ names, and purchase expensive furniture or electronics under ‘no-repayments for 12 months’ schemes.
She urged people who come across a scam to report it to ACCC via its Scamwatch website at www.scamwatch.gov.au.
