Scammers are experts in using the latest technology to exploit our trust and steal money by impersonating legitimate institutions, businesses, and personal connections. That’s why it’s essential to remain vigilant and be aware of the different types of tactics scammers are using.

Here are a few scams and methods to keep an eye out for.

Phishing or impersonation scams involve fraudsters posing as government agencies, institutions, and even family and friends. They may use the following tactics:

• Calls or messages claiming to be from a federal agency, such as the Tax Office, threatening you with arrest if you don’t pay money for an alleged tax bill or unpaid fine.
• Messages pretending to be relatives or friends and asking you to pay an urgent bill or send money, as they lost their phone or access to their accounts.
• Emails containing fake invoices or receipts appearing to be from reputable companies, thanking you for a payment or subscription renewal you didn’t initiate, and urging you to call them if you have any questions.
• Impersonating charities and asking for donations via pre-loaded gift cards or money orders.

First Nations Foundation tip: Be wary of calls, emails or messages you weren’t expecting. If something seems suspicious, contact the agency, business or person on their listed number or address (you can often find this on Google) to check if the message was from them.

Classified scammers pretend to be genuine buyers or sellers on marketplaces (like Facebook). They may involve:

• Fake buyers may send a false PayID screenshot confirming their payment and advising that you must pay a fee for their funds to be released.
• Fake sellers may request an upfront payment without giving you a chance to inspect the goods (that don’t actually exist).
• Parcel scammers may send texts, emails or voice messages regarding a fake delayed parcel and telling you it needs to be redirected. They may also urge you to update your delivery details via a tracking link and request payment of a redirection fee.

Unexpected money scams deceive victims into believing they won a significant monetary prize, such as a lottery. They may include:

• Emails or messages requesting your details and an upfront administration fee to release funds from winnings, compensation, or an inheritance.

Dating or romance scammers often create fake profiles on dating sites and social platforms to lure you into a relationship. They may involve:

• Potential online matches who claim to live or work overseas, or in the military. Once they gain your trust, they may recount a heartbreaking or tragic tale, begging you to help them financially or to pay for them to come see you.
• Some may say they sent you a valuable package requiring payment of a customs fee.
• Others may claim to be successful investors and ask you to set up accounts on their behalf or to transfer money they give you.

Remote access or hacking scams impersonate technical support providers. They may:

• Send you pop ups, emails or calls saying your computer was hacked or has a virus and ask for remote access to fix the problem.

Employment scams impersonate legitimate companies and agencies with attractive job opportunities. They may use:

• Fake recruiters who send you messages via text or WhatsApp promising high-paying, low effort jobs as long as you pay a recruitment fee for training.

What to do if you think you’ve been scammed

If you suspect you’re a victim of cybercrime, there are a few things you can do:

• Take note of when the scam happened, who contacted you and what you did.
• If there were any transactions, report the scam to your financial institution.
• Consider contacting the Australian Cyber Security Centre via their hotline 1300 CYBER1 (1300 292 371) or their ‘Have you been hacked’ tool.
• Change your passwords on all your devices and accounts, particularly email, banking, government, social and shopping platforms.
• If you opened direct links or sent personal details to someone impersonating myGov, Medicare, Centrelink or Child Support, contact Services Australia’s ‘Scams and Identity Theft Helpdesk’.
• Report tax related security issues to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).
• If you believe your identity was stolen, you can contact ‘IDCARE’, a free government-funded service. You can call them on 1800 595 160.
• To help raise awareness of the scam, you can report it to the Government’s ReportCyber or the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch.

Scams can happen to anyone and can cause emotional distress. If you need to talk to someone besides family and friends, you can always reach out to Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636 or Lifeline on 13 11 14 for support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.