What is Fraud Fortnight 2008?

Every year, Australia joins 30 other nations in alerting consumers of scams and how they can protect themselves against scams. There are many kinds of scams and you may come across them through email, Internet pop-ups, by letter, phone, fax or at the front door.

Fraud fortnight is being held this year between 24 February and 8 March 2008. ASCCA is participating in Fraud Fortnight as a Community Partner, and will be encouraging seniors in all our clubs to stay alert and be aware of scams, how to protect their identity and their hard-earned investments, as well as providing advice on where to seek assistance.

How your club can help

Your club can help spread the word about scams by:

• including information in your newsletter
• presenting information on scams at a members' meeting
• including brochures or pamphlets in members' information packs or training manuals
• linking to SCAMWatch on your website.

What do we mean by scams?

A scam is the offer of a service or product which is not what it seems. It might be an offer of a product for free or what appears to be a significant discount. Or it might be a service which does not deliver on its promise and/or costs much more than the purchaser thought when entering into the contract.

The product or service may indeed be free, but could come at a high price, the acquisition of your personal details, leaving you vulnerable to fraud, unwanted attention or to computer sabotage.

Scammers fool you by:

• being persistent and persuasive
• making promises of true love, great prizes or easy money
• pretending to be legitimate banks and businesses
• using leaflets, letters and sites that look like the real thing
• asking you to send money, personal details or fees before delivering anything
• asking you to keep the deal or offer a secret.

Deception scams

The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce defines deception scams as involving criminals pretending to be from legitimate companies and requesting information that will allow them to profit from their fraud.

The Taskforce says that they can be very hard to spot, and are very good at making you think they have something to lose. They may say that money is at risk.

Just because someone is asking you for details, does not mean that you should hand them over. Check the story through one of the websites listed below, or ring or email the company by a number or email address NOT supplied by the person requesting the information.

Seduction Scams

The Taskforce says that seduction scams involve great offers that were never intended to deliver.

It can be as simple as clicking on a computer pop-up for a prize that sends a virus to your computer, or entering a competition that seems legitimate but is really collecting information to steal your money or your identity.

This is the downside of new technology like the Internet, emails or text messaging.

However attractive the offer is, remember, if it appears to good to be true, it probably is!