Share a story, stop a scam
Opportunistic criminals want to steal your money. If you have been scammed, you can help others from falling victim.
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In addition to sharing and learning from experiences of scams, digital literacy is your key to staying safe online.
National Seniors Australia is proud to partner with Commbank to deliver education sessions, information and tools including a free downloadable eGuide to help older Australians identify and protect against scams.
We also continue to promote the Australian Federal Police’s cyber ABC safety videos.
As we approach Scam Awareness Week, from 26-30 August, Australians are being urged to speak up, share, and report scams.
National Seniors Australia CEO, Chris Grice, said older Australians are targeted by scammers due to their perceived vulnerability and belief they may have substantial life savings.
According to Scamwatch, in 2023, Australians aged 65+ reported more than 72,500 scams with a total loss of more than $120 million. Investment, romance, and phishing were the three most common scams with email, text messages, and phone calls the top contact methods.
“If you have identified or encountered a scam, it is important to share your experience. The more stories we hear, the better equipped we are to protect ourselves and others,” Mr Grice said.
The Scamwatch website makes the following points about the impact of scams:
- Scammers are criminals who manipulate and deceive you into giving them your money or personal information. They deliberately induce feelings of shame, guilt, self-doubt, and distrust.
- Scammers create and take advantage of different situations, including when you are distracted, busy, fearful, anxious, or stressed.
- They isolate you from your real-life support networks. They want to create a situation where you rely entirely upon them.
If you have identified or encountered a scam, it is important that you share your story with someone – it could be your mates, family, colleagues, social networks, or the whole community.
By sharing your scam story, you can prevent someone else from having their money or personal information taken by a scammer.
Scamwatch suggests that people who have been scammed post their experience on social media, using the hashtag #ShareAScamStory.
It also offers advice on how to identify and avoid scams through the process of “Stop, check, report”.
Stop: Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure. Say no, hang up, delete.
Check: Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust, such as your bank, the police, or the government. If you’re not sure, call the official phone number of the organisation to check.
Report: The more we talk, the less power the scammers have. Report scams to scamwatch.gov.au when you see them.
If a scammer has taken your money or personal details, contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam. Ask them to stop any transactions.
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. Call 1800 595 160 or visit idcare.org to find out more.
If a scam is causing you problems with debt, talk to a financial counsellor. Moneysmart provides a list of free and confidential services to help you get your finances back on track.
Being scammed is a horrible experience, and it can happen to anyone. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to family and friends or contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.
False information about bonus payments for Australian seniors has been shared online via social media accounts such as YouTube and Facebook. You might read about a new ‘one off payment’, ‘Centrelink cash relief payment’, or ‘bonus payment’ of $750 to $1800 for age pensioners, concession card holders, or for cost-of-living relief.
National Seniors Australia is not affiliated in any way with these social media accounts.
If you’re not sure the information you’ve seen online is real, visit servicesaustralia.gov.au.
