Scamwatch has received more than 4,850 COVID-19-related scam reports, with close to $6 million in reported losses since the outbreak of the pandemic earlier this year.
In the wake of the release of these latest figures, the fraud watchdog is warning Australians to be cautious and remain alert to coronavirus-related scams.
It said common scams included phishing for personal information, online shopping and superannuation scams.
“Scammers may pretend to have a connection with you. So it’s important to stop and check, even when you are approached by what you think is a trusted organisation,” it said in a statement today.
“Scammers are hoping that you have let your guard down. Do not provide your personal, banking or superannuation details to strangers who have approached you.”
Scammers pretending to be legitimate government agencies providing information on COVID-19 through text messages and emails ‘phishing’ for your information are among the most commonly reported to Scamwatch.
“The text messages may appear to come from ‘GOV’ and ‘myGov’, with a malicious link to more information on COVID-19.”
“These contain malicious links and attachments designed to steal your personal and financial information,” Scamwatch warns.
“These are a few examples, but there are many more. If your experience does not match any of the examples provided, it could still be a scam. If you have any doubts at all, don’t proceed.”
If you have been scammed or have seen a scam, you can make a report on the Scamwatch website, and find more information about where to get help.
Visit the Scamwatch news webpage for general warnings and media releases on COVID-19 scams.
