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Can you outsmart a scammer? Test yourself using our interactive quiz
Think you're a scam-spotting expert? Take this quiz and test your knowledge.
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By Kenneth Macleod, David Aidone
Source: SBS News
Image: Australians have lost more than $455 million to scams in 2023. (SBS News / Leon Wang)
They might arrive by email or text message. You might encounter one on social media or while searching the web, or a bad actor might use one in a bid to catch you out over the phone.
They’re scams – and while not everyone falls victim to them, they can be costly for those who do. Indeed, of the more than 280,200 scam reports received so far this year, 27,743 of them resulted in financial losses totalling $455.44 million, according to the consumer watchdog's Scamwatch service.
But scams don't only result in financial losses — they can be used by cybercriminals to pinch personal information, like login credentials or bank account details, too.
Most reports to Scamwatch in 2023 have pertained to text message scams, followed by email and phone.
Can you outsmart a scammer? Find out by completing our quiz below.
So how can you spot and protect yourself from scams?
Common signs are offers that appear too good to be true, according to Scamwatch. More often than not, they are, and a scammer might try and get you to act quickly on them.
Someone you've never met or spoken to might contact you with a heartbreaking or tragic story in an attempt to convince you to hand over money to help them. This is another red flag, Scamwatch says.
It also recommends avoiding automatically clicking on links or attachments in emails or text messages. They could be designed to steal your personal information. You should verify the sender's identity and be certain about what you're clicking on. Scamwatch also suggests navigating to the website or app yourself and finding the relevant information there.
Scammers might also ask you to pay for something in an unusual way like with cryptocurrency or gift cards, or request that you set up a new bank account or PayID to send or receive money.
Scamwatch says there are three steps you can take to protect yourself:
Stop – and don't give money or personal information to someone if you are unsure they are who they say they are. Remember, scammers will often pretend to be from organisations you know and trust, like government agencies.
Think – ask yourself whether the text message, email, or phone call could be fake. If you're unsure, hang up or delete it.
Protect – if something feels wrong, act quickly. If you think you might have been scammed or notice unusual financial activity, contact your bank immediately. You can also seek help from IDCARE and make reports to ReportCyber and Scamwatch.
