‘People will be scammed’: Australians urged to be extra careful over Christmas period

The money Australians lose to scams is expected to more than double this year as cybercriminals become more sophisticated and their methods more complex, with consumers urged to be extra careful handing over personal data during the Christmas shopping period.

It was not a matter of “if” people would be scammed but “when”, said Andrew Williams, CEO of the Australian Communications Action Network, as scammers use a wide range of platforms and technology to convince people to pass over credit card details to dodgy businesses and charities.

“We are seeing that they’re [scams] becoming more and more sophisticated and they, the scammers, unfortunately, always try to stay one step ahead of technology and one step ahead of regulators,” Williams said.

“If you get a text, phone call, email, WhatsApp, or something like that, and it looks dodgy, then the reality is it probably is.”

The Australian Federal Police’s commander of cybercrime operations, Chris Goldsmith, also warned that malicious online activity against Australians was increasing in frequency, scale and impact, and it was important for people to be cautious when handing out their personal data.

‘The reality is we all get scammed. People will be scammed over this period, there’s no doubt about that. But don’t be ashamed about that because it happens to everybody.’

Andrew Williams, Australian Communications Action Network

“In this digital age we’re seeing personal data become incredibly valuable to cybercriminals who see it as information they can exploit for financial gain,” Goldsmith said.

“Stolen information can be used to gain unauthorised access to bank accounts or apply for fraudulent identification documents like driver’s licences and Medicare cards. This can then be used to open bank accounts, apply for ABNs and other services that provide a legitimate cover for cybercrime.”

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) calculated that the amount of money lost to scams in 2021 was well over $2 billion, which they anticipate could jump to more than $4 billion by the end of 2022 with reported scams already significantly higher.