Australians have been urged to brace for a scammer wave as fraudsters take advantage of the community’s goodwill in the wake of a disaster.
Victims of major floods have been warned to watch out for cybercriminals who often set up fake donation sites to mimic relief funds and insurers.
Westpac general manager of fraud prevention and financial crime Chris Whittingham said a common swindler tactic was to take advantage of generous Australians.
“Time and time again, following a significant event or natural disaster, we see an increase in people being duped by scams, for example, after the devastating 2020 bushfires,” he said.
“With the current floods crisis, scammers will try to take advantage of Australians’ generosity and support by setting up fake donation sites or even posing as insurers, businesses or government organisations offering help to the victims themselves.”
Aussies have been warned to steer clear of unregistered charities and random calls and emails to avoid being ripped off.
“We are urging people to be on high alert to the possibility of scams and closely check that any websites or charitable organisations are legitimate before sending funds or your personal information,” Mr Whittingham said.
“Be wary of unexpected calls or emails. Be cautious of anyone claiming to be from a reputable organisation and stop to consider what they are asking for.”
People are advised to use reference numbers and publicly listed lines when calling back an unknown device.
Business are encouraged to register for PayID to assure customers are legitimate.
“Act immediately. If you think you might have been scammed, stop all communication with the scammer and contact your bank immediately,” Me Whittingham said.
Data from Services Australia reveals more than 650 attempts to fraudulently claim welfare and disaster payments in the past two years.
This includes one man who allegedly used 58 false and stolen identities to thieve $35,000 in disaster payments meant for bushfire victims.
