Suncorp urges Australians to be scam aware
It’s Scams Awareness Week and with more Australians relying on the internet to bank, shop, and stay connected, scammers are now finding new, sophisticated ways to target unsuspecting victims.
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Scams are becoming concerningly more common and in 2019 cost Australians more than $634 million according to ACCC’s Scamwatch.
This year, Scams Awareness Week focusses on the dangers of identity theft in scams and we spoke with Sarah Dreaver, Manager of Suncorp’s Financial Crimes Investigations team to get some hints and tips on how customers can protect themselves from opportunistic scammers.
“This is a very real issue in our community and with very alarming and confronting statistics. The effects are not only financially devastating, but they can leave victims with long-term emotional scars,” Sarah said.
“One of the hardest things we see is the trauma they experience when they fall victim to a scam. They are often in shock and feel humiliated and powerless.”
Scams and scammers are evolving as quickly as technology is. It’s really important that people remain alert and we help them to understand how to keep themselves protected from scammers.
Michelle Bain, Suncorp’s Group Customer Advocate
Michelle Bain, Suncorp’s Group Customer Advocate said COVID-19 has created an environment where scammers have been using confusion, fear, and misinformation to target vulnerable victims.
“Unfortunately, many cyber criminals and scammers have seen the pandemic as an opportunity, since many people are socially isolated in lockdowns and spending more time online,” she said.
The ACCC has reported it has received over 3600 scam reports mentioning the coronavirus with over $2.3 million in reported losses since the outbreak of COVID-19.
“Scams and scammers are evolving as quickly as technology is. It’s really important that people remain alert and we help them to understand how to keep themselves protected from scammers,” Michelle said.
“Scams come in all different shapes and sizes and unfortunately many of them can result in the theft of your identity, so it’s important to know the warning signs” said Sarah.
Receiving an email, text, or phone call unexpectedly asking you to validate or confirm your personal details by clicking on a link or opening an attachment.
Unexpected pop-ups on your computer or mobile device asking if you want to allow software to run.
Receiving a friend request from someone you don’t know on social media.
Inability to log into your social media or email account, or that your profile has been logged into from an unusual location.
Amounts of money missing from your bank account without any explanation.
Being refused a financial service or an application for a loan or your credit card being declined without an apparent reason.
Receiving bills, invoices or receipts addressed to you for goods or services you didn’t purchase yourself.
#How to protect yourself from scams
01
Never open suspicious texts or emails – delete them immediately.
02
Always verify the identity of the contact by calling the relevant organisation directly – find them through an independent source such as an online search. Do not use the contact details provided in the message sent to you.
03
Never sending money or sharing credit/debit card, online account details or copies of personal documents to anyone you don’t know or trust.
04
Choosing passwords that would be difficult for others to guess and updating them regularly. Don't use the same password for every account and don't share them with anyone.
05
Securing your networks and devices with anti-virus software and a good firewall. Avoid using public computers or WiFi hotspots to access or provide personal information.
06
Securing your networks and devices with anti-virus software and a good firewall. Avoid using public computers or WiFi hotspots to access or provide personal information.
07
Securing your networks and devices with anti-virus software and a good firewall. Avoid using public computers or WiFi hotspots to access or provide personal information.
08
Being cautious about how much personal information you share on social network sites. Scammers can use your information and pictures to create a fake identity or to target you with a scam.
09
When making online payments, only paying for items using a secure payment service—look for a URL starting with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol, or a payment provider such as PayPal.
10
Putting a lock on your letterbox and shredding or destroying any documents containing personal information before disposing of them.
11
Find out how to get a free copy of your credit report from the ASIC MoneySmart* website. Your credit report contains important information on your credit history and is useful for checking that no one is using your name to borrow money or run up debts.
Online security is important to us so Suncorp has recently updated our website to include information for our customers on to stay safe online.
*link to MoneySmart website