Scams Awareness Week is an annual campaign hosted by the ACCC and the Scams Awareness Network, which raises awareness about common scams and offers tips on how people can protect themselves from scammers.
The week runs from 7 until 11 November.
This year, Scams Awareness Week is about empowering you to learn how to spot a scam and encouraging you to take the time to check whether a communication or offer is real.
Do you know how to spot a scam?
There are some simple ways to detect a scam. These are some things to look out for:
- A person or a message urging you to act quickly, whether it’s a threat to make an urgent payment, a request for upfront payment or a limited opportunity too good to miss.
- A person or a message asking you to update or provide your personal details, such as identifying information, banking details or passwords, or asking to remotely access your device.
- Any payment request via unsecure or unusual methods such as cryptocurrency, gift cards or bank transfer.
- A person or suspicious message claiming they have new contact details or asking for payment to a new bank account.
- Anyone offering unsolicited financial or investment advice or claiming you can make fast or guaranteed money with little to no risk.
Scams can cause serious harm, so take the time to check whether an offer or contact is genuine before you act on it.
Visit the Scams Awareness Week website for more information: https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/scamsweek
The Mutual Bank has a handy fridge magnet – Stay Scam Aware – which members can pick up at any of our seven branches or call 1300 688 825 to have one posted to you.
If you think your accounts have been compromised:
- Call us to secure your bank accounts – 1300 688 825
- Contact IDCARE for identify theft concerns – 1800 595 160
- Report fraud and theft to your local police – 13 14 44
- Visit Scamwatch.gov.au to keep up to date on the latest scams
