The Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) warns people to be on the alert for scammers targeting people impacted by the severe weather event which impacted the Hunter and parts of NSW.
“In the chaos following severe weather events and natural disasters, it is important to be vigilant as scammers prey on people's desperation and goodwill,” said COBA Head of Financial Crimes and Cyber Resilience Martin Latimer.
Following emergencies, fraudsters will often impersonate government agencies like Centrelink and the ATO, or utility providers, offering supposed rebates.
“They know people are desperate to recover financially, and they exploit that desperation by offering false promises of financial relief. This tactic of offering rebates and insurance payouts is a classic tool used by scammers to gain access to personal information and bank details,” he warned.
Another common tactic scammers use is to pose as legitimate charitable organisations, COBA warns. Before donating, take the time to verify the charity's legitimacy through trusted resources like the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC). When you're ready to give, go directly to the official website of the charity to make your donation.
“Always check the legitimacy of a URL, look for secure payment methods, and confirm their affiliation with the genuine charity or organisation. Best practice is to only donate through the genuine website,” Martin advised.
Be wary of unsolicited donation requests, another key sign of scams. Scammers also use phishing to steal your personal and financial data.
“A common phishing tactic is a scammer sending a text message, social media post or email, asking for donations and urging you to click on a link. These links will lead to fake websites and phishing pages designed to steal personal and payment information, or download malware onto your device,” Martin said.
“Avoid sharing any information that is not relevant, and don’t give out information to unknown or unverified individuals or organisations, especially if the contact was unsolicited,” he added.
Always remember to “Stop. Check. Protect”.
If you encounter a potential scam, report it to ScamWatch.gov.au to help protect others. If you think you've been scammed, immediately report the transaction(s) by call us in business hours on 1300 688 825 or email us at info@themutual.com.au.
If you are experiencing financial hardship due to the weather event, please reach out to us, as we may be able to help.
Members can access the Financial Hardship Request Form on our website which you can fill out and email back to us, and our team will be in touch to see how we may be able to assist you.
Members who have CGU insurance can call 13 24 80 or make a claim online at cgu.com.au/claims.
