National Consumer Fraud Week 19 – 25 March

Have you ever received a phone call or SMS out of the blue, a phishy email or ‘lucky’ letter, an unknown knock at the door or a strange request from an online friend or admirer?

National Consumer Fraud Week 2012 is all about raising awareness of scam delivery methods so that you can identify and slam a scam at the point of contact.

Scammers are increasingly sophisticated in how they deliver scams, taking advantage of new technology and communication methods to try and slip under our radars. Online platforms and mobile technology such as emails, social networking sites, smart phones and tablets make it easier to connect with people around the world and communicate in real time anonymously, privately or publicly. Unfortunately, scammers also take advantage of these benefits to target Australians.

Scammers are also not afraid to adopt a personal touch such as contacting people at home on their phone or at their door. They will try and push peoples’ buttons by playing on their emotions to evoke a sense of guilt, anxiety or fear. They also use slick tricks such as professional-looking websites or documents, and often pose as someone or an organisation that we know and trust.

Scammers will use any means to deliver a scam and get us to part with our money or personal details. The key message for Fraud Week 2012 is:

If you receive a scam, slam it!

Press delete, throw it out, shut the door or just hang up.

Campaign highlights

• Release of the ACCC’s 2011 Targeting Scams report
• Launch of a new, pocket-sized edition of the ACCC’s Little Black Book of Scams
• ‘Slam Scams!’ launch event – 4:45-7:00pm Monday 19 March, the Grace Hotel Sydney (hosted by the ACCC)
• Consumer Fraud Offenders forum – 9:30am- 4:00pm Monday 19 March, ASIC Sydney office (hosted by the Australian Institute of Criminology).

Check out Slam Scams! for more information on Fraud Week 2012, an initiative of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce.

To order a free copy of the 2011 Targeting Scams report and The Little Black Book of Scams go to www.accc.gov.au or contact 1300 302 502.