Scammers posing as charities and government programs to exploit people facing financial hardship.
The National Anti-Scam Centre is alerting Australians to a new wave of scams where criminals are impersonating charities and offering fraudulent financial assistance programs to prey on those facing financial difficulties.
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No Interest Loan Schemes, provided by reputable charities like Good Shepherd and the Salvation Army, are designed to help low-income earners and people in hardship manage payments or cover unexpected expenses. However, the National Anti-Scam Centre warns that scammers are pretending to offer these services. They are also faking emergency relief services, rental assistance, and programs like the Australian Emergency Rental Assistance Program.
“As the cost of living has risen, struggling Australians are being targeted in despicable ways by criminals. We are warning people who need financial assistance and those that provide it to be aware of these scams,” said ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe.
While Scamwatch has received reports of these scams, many victims do not come forward due to the stigma of financial hardship. The Centre believes the actual number of people targeted and scammed is much higher.
These scams often involve impersonating government agencies, programs, or charities that provide support to those in need, such as Wesley Mission.
“Impersonating trusted organisations is a common scam tactic. Australians should independently check that any organisation offering financial assistance is legitimate, and never provide personal identifying information through social media,” Ms Lowe said.
The objective of these scams is to steal both money and personal information, which is valuable for committing other crimes. Criminals can use details like myGov usernames and passwords, bank account information, driver’s licences, or passports to assume false identities, making it harder to detect their crimes. Victims often face the burden of recovering their stolen identity and addressing fraudulent activity committed in their name. These details can also enable criminals to defraud government agencies or businesses.
“In one alarming instance, scammers posed as a well-known charity online, offering a no-interest loan to a couple. Believing it was legitimate, the victims provided sensitive details, including their driver’s licence, Medicare card, Pension Card, and myGov information. The scammers then diverted $1,000 from the couple’s Centrelink payments,” Ms Lowe said.
“Genuine support for those in need is available, but criminals will exploit any opportunity to take advantage of vulnerable people. Don’t rely on social media advertisements or trust that someone contacting you is who they claim to be. If you believe you’ve been targeted by scammers, act quickly to protect yourself.”
Australians who encounter suspicious activity should report it to the relevant social media platform and Scamwatch to help protect others.
For those who have shared personal information, contact IDCARE at 1800 595 160. If myGov or Centrelink details were provided, Services Australia’s Scams and Identity Theft Helpdesk can offer advice and support at 1800 941 126.
