Please be aware of these common warning signs:

• Pressure to act quickly.
• Threats of legal action.
• Opportunities to make or save money.
• A request for help linked to a crisis or life event, intended to appeal to your generosity and goodwill.
• Asking you to click on links or open attachments.
• Requests that you pay in unusual or specific ways, such as via gift cards.
• Asking you to set up a new account or PayID.

Dating and romance scams

When a scammer hides behind a fake online profile/s that are designed to gain your affection and trust. They will introduce significant events requiring your financial assistance (such as health issues, financial problems, travel expenses, or other personal issues). They’ll usually ask for financial assistance, such as pre-loaded debit cards, iTunes cards/gift cards or Bitcoin/cryptocurrency.

Warning signs:

• Preferring to communicate through email or instant messaging rather than an official dating platform.
• Professing strong feelings quickly (a technique known as ‘love bombing’).
• Making excuses as to why you can’t meet in person, e.g. work commitments, overseas for emergency or family issues.
• A change from affection to desperation or threats if you don’t meet their request for financial assistance.
• They usually make small requests first to see if you will comply with larger requests later.
• Preying on vulnerability such as isolation, elderly or language barrier.

Investment or cryptocurrency scams

When a scammer offers the opportunity to make quick cash or offer extremely high returns, it offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity you need to act quickly to get a good return.

Investment scams are often real estate/property projects, superannuation, shares and stock promotions, foreign currency or cryptocurrency trading.

Warning signs:

• An investment with low risk and high reward: If the opportunity sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
• High pressure tactics designed to rush you into signing up to the investment, so you don’t ‘miss out’.
• An online contact that you haven’t met in person starts talking to you about investing.
• Social media post about the investment opportunity with links or using celebrity endorsements.

Remote access scams

Where a scammer gains access to your computer or device from a remote location to get your personal information. They will pretend to be from a familiar company such as a bank, telecommunications company, government agency or computer software company. They will give you a fake story, such as a computer virus, to convince you to give them remote access to your device to fix the issue.

Warning signs:

• Never give someone access to your accounts, personal details or access to your devices – especially if they have cold-called you.
• If you believe the call to be legitimate, call them back on the number listed on the company website. Don’t call them back on the number they provide.
• Do not click on any links provided.
• Consider installing anti-virus software and ensure that it is running regularly.

Job and employment scams

Stop and check any job that requires you to pay money to make money as it could be a scam. They may pretend to be hiring on behalf of high-profile companies or online shopping platforms. They also impersonate well-known recruitment agencies. They may post fake ads on legitimate employment platforms or websites.

Warning signs:

• You are contacted through text message or encrypted message platforms like WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram.
• You are asked to top up an account with your own money or cryptocurrency to complete tasks or be recruited.
• The hiring process is quick with no interview or discussion about your qualifications, experience, or reference checks.
• The job involves transferring money, making purchases, or receiving packages on behalf of someone else.

Threat and penalty scams

Threat and penalty scams are when scammers threaten you with harm (physical or emotional), arrest, legal action or other demands to force you into handing over money or personal information.

Warning signs:

• You receive a call, message or email unexpectedly from someone claiming to be from a government department, debt collection agency or trusted company.
• You are threatened with legal action or arrest.
• You are told that to fix the matter you need to pay a fee or fine.
• You are asked for personal information, such as passport details, date of birth or bank information.
• You are asked to pay using an unusual payment type such as gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Phishing/Smishing scams

Phishing or Smishing is when a scammer sends an email or text that appears to be from a trusted source, often including an urgent ‘call to action’ or ‘pay a fee’. They will often have a link which takes you to a scam website.

To make the messages look real, scammers will often copy the phone number and sender ID of businesses or people you know. The scam message can even appear in the same message chain as legitimate messages from the organisation.

Warning signs:

• A message asking you to:

• • Act urgently.

• • Make a payment or transfer money.

• • Click on a link.

• The message creates a sense of urgency to make you act, such as:

• • Claiming that your account has been hacked or involved in fraud,

• • Saying there is a problem with your payment or your package delivery.

• • Making a threat if you don’t act immediately (such as a fine or cancelling a service).
• The message may have spelling mistakes or grammar mistakes