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With three winners sharing in last week’s $110 million Powerball jackpot, and a further $15 million up for grabs tonight, warning bells have been sounded over scams affecting Facebook users whose so-called “friends” are informing them of sudden cash windfalls.

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According to WA ScamNet, a number of victims have fallen for grant and lottery prize scams by Facebook friends whose profiles have been cloned by scammers.

Victims falling prey to the scam have usually been contacted by a cloned friend’s profile via Messenger, asking if they had received their windfall, since their name is located on a recipient list of people who have allegedly won money in a grant scheme or lottery, WA ScamNet outlined.

Then, victims are directed to a fake Facebook page or website that confirms their name on a winners’ list, where they are lured into providing personal and financial information and paying upfront fees to receive the so-called grant or prize money.

ScamNet said that in the general category of “unexpected money/winnings”, nearly 40 scam victims in Western Australia have lost almost $600,000 since the beginning of this year.

The state’s commissioner for consumer protection, David Hillyard, said a simple phone call to the friend that allegedly sent the message could have prevented many of the losses.

“People have to be aware that the cloning of profiles is occurring so they need to be wary when they receive a message via social media regarding any financial windfall,” Mr Hillyard said.

He said people should question why they would be getting money from a grant that they hadn’t applied for or from a lottery they had not entered, so they should be doing some checking before sending money anywhere.

“Rather than relying on communicating via social media, all it takes is a phone call to the friend in question to determine if the offer is genuine or not,” he offered, while an online search of the name of the company or organisation supposedly making the offer may also be able to uncover that it’s a scam.

“This scam would have been preceded by the acceptance of a friend request from someone who is already your friend on Facebook, so that should get alarm bells ringing,” Mr Hillyard outlined.

He recommended that Facebook users put their security setting as high as possible so that there is less likelihood that scammers can get access to personal details, friends’ list and photos to produce a cloned profile that will then be used to scam social circles.

Cost of scams Australia-wide

The Western Australian warning comes as the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported that scams involving identity theft or the loss of personal and banking information have cost Australians at least $16 million this year.

Calling the figure “likely to be just the tip of the iceberg”, the ACCC said that four out of every 10 Scamwatch reports from the first six months of this year alone involved attempts to gain information or the actual loss of victims’ information.

Some of the ways scammers have obtained personal or banking information have included: phishing emails and text messages that impersonate banks, or utility providers seeking login details, fake online quizzes and surveys, using fake job advertisements, and remote access scams in which the scammer gains direct access to your computer.

The ACCC also flagged the sourcing of information about an individual through social media platforms, and direct requests for scans of a person’s driver’s license or passport, as is seen in dating and romance scams. 

“No one is really selling an iPhone for $1, or rewarding the completion of a survey with expensive electronic goods or large gift vouchers. They’re scams to get your valuable personal information,” said ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard.

“Identity thieves can make victims’ lives a nightmare,” she considered, noting scammers as being capable of changing the victims’ phone carrier so they lose service and setting up mail redirections so an individual is in the dark about what’s going on.

“Scammers can empty victims’ bank accounts, take out tens of thousands of dollars in bank loans under victims’ names, and purchase expensive furniture or electronics under ‘no-repayments for 12 months’ schemes,” Ms Rickard warned.

She also said that lost personal information can leave victims more susceptible to future scams, where scammers will use the victim’s personal information to seem more convincing in cold calls.

“The trick is to be alert to the signs,” Ms Rickard said.

“If your mobile phone suddenly loses coverage, you haven’t received expected electronic or physical mail, or you receive unexpected notifications from a financial institution, call your bank,” she offered.

Ultimately, “if you think scammers might have gained access to your personal information, even in a scam completely unrelated to your finances, immediately contact your bank,” she reiterated.

“Timeliness in alerting your financial institution is absolutely crucial and will give you the best possible chance at recovering your funds.”

[email protected]

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With three winners sharing in last week’s $110 million Powerball jackpot, and a further $15 million up for grabs tonight, warning bells have been sounded over scams affecting Facebook users whose so-called “friends” are informing them of sudden cash windfalls.

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Finding a job that fits your credentials can already be tough, but scammers make job-hunting tougher for those who are looking for legitimate job opportunities.

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According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), there were 2,841 reported employment scams in 2018, which involved a total monetary loss amounting to $1,525,168. In the first half of 2019, 1,352 reported cases of job scams resulted in monetary loss of victims amounting to $979,957.

With the prevalence of employment scams at present, it may be easy to come across a few on your job hunt online. But you can avoid becoming a statistic if you’re able to tell a legitimate offer from a fake one.

Job scam warning signs

More scammers are taking advantage of the anonymity that the internet lends to offer online job scams as legitimate and good earning opportunities – but there are ways to avoid becoming a victim.

Below are some of the most glaring red flags of employment scams.

Often unsolicited
Some fake job opportunities lure jobseekers through posts on a job board website such as Craigslist, but, in most cases, employment scams seek out victims. They often arrive whether you’re looking for a job or not. 

• Sent through email
  There are many fake job offers that are sent directly to the victim’s email. The recruiter usually claims that they found the victim’s resume from a job board that they use.
  
  When this happens, make sure to scrutinise the recruiter’s email address. If they truly belong to a legitimate company or organisation, their email will use the company’s domain and never a public domain email such as Gmail or aol.
  
  Recruiters who represent legitimate companies typically have a company email they use to extend offers and interview invitations.
  
  
• Phone call
  Another way scammers contact their potential victims is to call them about the “job offer” and commence an on-the-spot interview. Some even offer the job outright without going through an interview.
  
  Remember that companies will still require an interview no matter how perfect you seem for the role.
  
  If this happens to you, ask the recruiter how and where they found your profile and contact information and avoid giving any personal information – take note of the offer and the caller’s name and number and ask them to call at a later time. Meanwhile, call up the company they supposedly represent using the number from a legitimate directory or the company’s official website and verify the details that were presented to you.
  
  
• Posted on social media
  Some scammers post job ads on social media job boards or contact potential victims through social media. Before giving away any of your information to the recruiter, ask for more details about the job opportunity they are presenting first.

Grammar and spelling mistakes
One of the most obvious red flags in an online job scam is the presence of grammatical and spelling errors.

Any legitimate organisation would have people or a department who takes care of ensuring that its name, invitation letters, job descriptions and job postings – or any other document showing its name – are free of errors. 

Guaranteed placement, high returns
One of the reasons why people fall for job scams is the promise of high pay for minimal work and a no-fuss hiring process or guaranteed placement even without an initial or sufficient interview.

But as the adage goes: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Any organisation with a legitimate offer has a hiring process and wouldn’t guarantee the position to any person without sufficient appraisal, especially if there is a lot of money at stake. However, there are also some scammers who actually push through with an interview. But instead of meeting the candidate in the office or any professional setting, job interviews happen in a house or questionable location that has nothing to do with the company.

Job details are unclear
A common feature of job hiring scams is that details about the job and company are often ambiguous or the recruiter holds off information with regard to the job posting you’re supposedly being hired for. When you try to search online for more information, you don’t usually find a phone number and office address – other than a P.O. Box – in any business directory and are simply directed to more job postings. 

In the event that the recruiter provides a website, it also contains vague information or there are no other sources of information that can corroborate the information contained in the site. In many cases, only job postings show up in search results when you search Google for more information about the company and the job. 

Unusual fees
Genuine employment opportunities don’t ask its candidates to pay for placement, starter, training and other fees associated with the opportunity that would help expedite the hiring process.

On that note, legitimate organisations and companies don’t require candidates to provide their credit report even if it is acquired through a free service or they promise to reimburse the candidate once the credit report is submitted to the company.

Job postings and recruiters that ask candidates to provide financial information tend to be associated with money laundering  schemes and similar illegal financial operations. In some cases, the recruiter steals from the candidate using the details the applicants provide. In other cases, they make use of the candidates’ bank details to illegally transfer money.

Recruiter asks for personal information
Another red flag is when recruiters ask for personal information (i.e. social security numbers) and bank documents right away after an initial contact or interview with the candidate.

While it’s natural to give certain personal information so that employers can pay their employees’ benefits, scammers ask for sensitive information for a different reason. Many online hiring scams serve as a way for scammers to carry out identity theft.

Identity theft is damaging to the real person both professionally and financially as many scammers apply for a credit card, loan and other financial products under the victim’s name. The victim then ends up with the financial burden because their authentic information is used for those accounts.

What to do when job scammers target you

If you’ve been contacted by a recruiter and you sense several red flags about them and/or the job they are offering, it’s best to hold off on making any decision about the offer. Ask them to give you a day or two to think about it and, if they insist on your immediate decision or else you’d lose the opportunity, turn it down immediately – pressure tactics are a sure sign that it’s a scam.

If you’re not entirely sure if you’re being scammed and you were given some time to think about the offer, consider doing a quick research and verification.

Research
Open up your browser and do a quick Google search on the company, opportunity and recruiter.

You should be able to find the company’s website – even if it is a start-up – as well as more information about the company and what it does. If all you find about the company and opportunity are job ads, consider it a glaring sign that you’re being scammed.

However, there are also scammers who create convincing websites because they are aware that some potential victims do their research. Luckily, there are free domain age checkers online that can determine a domain’s credibility by checking its age, history and activity.

Verify
You still need to be vigilant before offering your information or accepting an opportunity. Both the job and recruiter may be fake, but, in some cases, a fake recruiter may simply be pretending to be an employee of a legitimate company by using a real job advertisement.

The best way to know if you’re looking at a legitimate job offer is to contact the company and ask about the recruiter and/or the job opportunity being offered.

Report
Once you have verified that an online job opportunity is a scam, report the job posting and recruiter to the proper authorities. Make sure to note details about the scam and scammer so that you can provide necessary information.

1. Report the false job advertisement to the owner or manager of the site that the scammer posted in. The site should take down the false ads and even block the poster from using its services again.
2. Report details of the fraudulent job offer to the ACCC through its SCAMwatch website.
3. Report the scam to the company that the recruiter is mimicking, if any. This should help them be aware that the business is being used to scam people. Once aware, businesses usually release a public warning against the reported scam.

Explore Nest Egg to learn more about spotting scams.

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Here are some signs that you’re looking at an online hiring scam." 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Finding a job that fits your credentials can already be tough, but scammers make job-hunting tougher for those who are looking for legitimate job opportunities.

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Forty thousand Australians have reported calls from scammers so far this year, with scammers using popular payment options to catch the attention of its prey. 

" ["fulltext"]=> string(2193) "

Over the first quarter of 2019, the ATO received 40,225 reports of impersonation scams with just over $1 million in losses.

According to assistant commissioner Gavin Siebert, scammers are using “Robocall” technology to issue pre-recorded phone calls that impersonate legitimate phone numbers of the ATO.

“Scammers are sending pre-recorded messages in record numbers and are manipulating caller identification so that your phone displays a legitimate ATO phone number despite coming from an overseas scammer,” said Mr Siebert.

“We are now seeing thousands of Australians missing a call from a scammer, returning the call based on the number on caller ID and speaking to legitimate members of the ATO. Our calls do not show a number on caller ID nor do we use pre-recorded messages.

“If the scammers do make contact, they will request payment of a tax debt – usually through unusual methods like bitcoin, gift cards and vouchers. Legitimate ways to pay your tax debt are listed on our website. The scammers will threaten you with immediate arrest, attempt to keep you on the line until payment is made and may become rude or aggressive.”

Scams on the rise

The ATO reported back in early December last year that more than 37,000 scam attempts had been made in the month of November alone. Over $800,000 was lost to scammers impersonating the ATO that month.

It also warned investors about a sophisticated scam in early January involving fake telephone calls impersonating the Tax Practitioners Board.

Tips and strategies

The Tax Office recently released tips for Australian investor on how to identify a scam and protect themselves from fraud online. You can read the comprehensive guide.

 

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Forty thousand Australians have reported calls from scammers so far this year, with scammers using popular payment options to catch the attention of its prey. 

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Scammers are emailing people from a fake myGov email address, asking them to fill out an application to receive a tax refund, the ATO has warned.

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In an online update, the ATO has warned individuals that scammers are sending emails from a fake myGov email address that contain a malicious link that directs the email recipient to a fake “tax refund” form in order to steal their personal information.

“Remember to always exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments in emails,” the ATO cautioned.

“This scam email misleadingly includes the myGov logo, asks you to click a link that appears to be the myGov website but, when hovering over the link, it does not lead to a my.gov.au address.”

The scam email also does not include the name of the taxpayer, contains poor grammar and spelling, and is unexpected.

“The ATO does not have an online tax refund form. All online management of your tax affairs should be carried out via your genuine myGov account,” the ATO advised.

“Make accessing ATO online services via your myGov account more secure. Update your sign-in options at my.gov.au so you receive a code by SMS when signing in.”

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Read more on how to avoid these tax scams." 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["secure"]=> int(0) ["page_description"]=> string(7) "nestegg" ["page_rights"]=> NULL ["robots"]=> NULL ["access-view"]=> bool(true) } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["displayDate"]=> string(19) "2019-03-28 00:46:54" ["slug"]=> string(44) "12984:taxpayers-warned-fake-mygov-email-scam" ["parent_slug"]=> string(14) "278:save-money" ["catslug"]=> string(9) "309:scams" ["event"]=> object(stdClass)#3041 (3) { ["afterDisplayTitle"]=> string(0) "" ["beforeDisplayContent"]=> string(0) "" ["afterDisplayContent"]=> string(0) "" } ["text"]=> string(154) "

Scammers are emailing people from a fake myGov email address, asking them to fill out an application to receive a tax refund, the ATO has warned.

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The ATO’s first impersonation scam report for 2019 is out, and popular payment and investment vehicles accounted for the majority of losses to Australian investors.

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In January 2019, $497,216 was reported as paid to scammers. This was about $45,000 less than December 2018.

Payments via Google Play, iTunes and Bitcoin continue to account for the majority of losses equating to 83 per cent of the total amount paid, according to the Tax Office.

Further, 23,237 phone scam reports were officially recorded for January month, which represents a decrease of over 2,000 reports from December 2018.

Australians who provided scammers with their personal identifying information totalled about 55 per cent of all scams, which is similar to figures produced in December last year.

The Tax Office recently released tips for Australian investor on how to identify a scam and protect themselves from fraud online. You can read more about this here.

Scams in 2019 are sophisticated and often tied to popular online shopping destinations, or infiltrated through free wifi.

Tax time, which is between the start of the new financial year and income tax lodgement deadline of 31 October, is a particularly busy time for fraudsters.

“We’re heading into peak season for the army of scammers looking to hoodwink individuals and small businesses into parting with their money, their identity or both by claiming to be from the ATO,” said H&R Block’s tax communications director, Mark Chapman.

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The ATO’s first impersonation scam report for 2019 is out, and popular payment and investment vehicles accounted for the majority of losses to Australian investors.

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The ATO has provided taxpayers with tips on how to identify and protect themselves from tax-related scams as fraudsters become increasingly sophisticated in recent months.

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In an online article, the ATO said individuals should be aware that the Tax Office will never threaten them with immediate arrest, jail or deportation.

It also stated that the ATO will never call demanding immediate payment of a tax debt, ask for payment via vouchers such as iTunes and Google Play or Bitcoin, or request a fee to be paid to release a refund.

Some of the other tell-tale signs the ATO said are abusive or threatening behavior and asking for the money to be transferred to an account with a BSB that is not held with the Reserve Bank of Australia.    

“We will inform you about your tax debt before it is due. You can also check if you owe us money through your myGov account, your tax agent, or by phoning us,” the ATO said.

“We provide you with a range of legitimate payment options on our website if you have a tax debt.”

The ATO also informed taxpayers that it won’t use email, text messages or social media to provide personal information such as a TFN, credit care or bank details, nor will it send downloadable files or tell individuals to install software.

Some of the typical ways that scammers may try to trick individuals, it said, is by using voice over internet protocol phone numbers to make and receive calls from anywhere in the world or spoofing phone numbers to make calls and text messages appear to come from Australia.

Scammers may also send pre-recorded messages to large numbers of people asking for an immediate call back, the ATO explained.

They may also send copycat emails with attachments or links that take individuals to fake login screens or web pages to trick you into downloading malicious software or giving them your personal information or contain programs that record your computer key strokes to get your personal information or login credentials, it warned.

Some scammers may also send ransomware or malicious software that stops your computer working until you pay a fee – often by Bitcoin.

Spoofing websites or login pages designed to access personal information and accessing public profiles on social media to learn about an individual so they can meet proof of record ownership or break their passwords are other methods used.

The ATO said that individuals should only share their personal information with people they trust and organisations with a legitimate need for it.

“You should treat requests for personal information with caution. Before providing your personal information, ask the person who calls, emails, messages or comes to your door for some identity credentials and verify the person’s credentials by calling their organisation or place of work,” it said.

It also recommended keeping personal information in a secure place and avoid carrying documents such as birth certificates or passports in handbags or wallets unless they are needed.

“Don’t store personal information, such as TFNs, passwords or PINs, in your mobile phone,” it said.

“Never leave personal papers or spare house keys in the glove box of your car. Use a locked mailbox or a post office box if you receive large volumes of mail.”

It also said to shred or destroy documents that contain any personal information.

“Make sure electronic documents containing personal information are secure. Protect these files with passwords and encryption, or use a trusted data vault website,” the ATO said.

The ATO reported back in early December last year that more than 37,000 scam attempts had been made in the month of November alone. Over $800,000 was lost to scammers impersonating the ATO that month.

It also warned investors about a sophisticated scam in early January involving fake telephone calls impersonating the Tax Practitioners Board.

The Tax Office has also had to contend with scammers impersonating registered tax agents in a bid to lend credibility to the scam.

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The ATO has provided taxpayers with tips on how to identify and protect themselves from tax-related scams as fraudsters become increasingly sophisticated in recent months.

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