array(1) { [0]=> &object(stdClass)#6166 (52) { ["id"]=> string(5) "17126" ["title"]=> string(89) "The Olympic effect on property and equity investors; COVID-19 Disaster Payments and super" ["alias"]=> string(88) "the-olympic-effect-on-property-and-equity-investors-covid-19-disaster-payments-and-super" ["introtext"]=> string(261) "

On this episode of The nestegg Podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and three experts discuss the ongoing NSW lockdown, the ins and outs of the COVID-19 Disaster Payments, and how Brisbane’s successful Olympics bid could impact equities and property.

" ["fulltext"]=> string(1014) "

Steve Waters, director of Right Property Group, chats about the impact of the lockdowns on the property market, what the 2032 Olympics could mean for Brisbane’s market, and whether APRA might need to pull the handbrake to cool house price growth.

RMIT’s senior lecturer of finance, Dr Angel Zhong, delves into how the Olympics and other major events affect stock returns and what the implications are for investors.

And lastly, tax and super guru Timothy Munro talks about the near-record super returns, the COVID-19 Disaster Payments and what they mean for your super.

Have a question for our experts? Get in touch at [email protected] and you might get featured on the next episode.

" ["checked_out"]=> string(1) "0" ["checked_out_time"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["catid"]=> string(3) "302" ["created"]=> string(19) "2021-07-27 04:50:28" ["created_by"]=> string(4) "2404" ["created_by_alias"]=> string(0) "" ["state"]=> string(1) "1" ["modified"]=> string(19) "2021-07-27 06:38:13" ["modified_by"]=> string(4) "2404" ["modified_by_name"]=> string(12) "Robyn Tongol" ["publish_up"]=> string(19) "2021-07-27 06:38:13" ["publish_down"]=> string(19) "0000-00-00 00:00:00" ["images"]=> string(240) "{"image_intro":"images\/podcasts\/090321_Angel_Zhong_Steve_Waters_Timothy_Munro.jpg","float_intro":"","image_intro_alt":"","image_intro_caption":"","image_fulltext":"","float_fulltext":"","image_fulltext_alt":"","image_fulltext_caption":""}" ["urls"]=> string(121) "{"urla":false,"urlatext":"","targeta":"","urlb":false,"urlbtext":"","targetb":"","urlc":false,"urlctext":"","targetc":""}" ["attribs"]=> string(855) "{"article_layout":"","show_title":"","link_titles":"","show_tags":"","show_intro":"","info_block_position":"","info_block_show_title":"","show_category":"","link_category":"","show_parent_category":"","link_parent_category":"","show_associations":"","show_author":"","link_author":"","show_create_date":"","show_modify_date":"","show_publish_date":"","show_item_navigation":"","show_icons":"","show_print_icon":"","show_email_icon":"","show_vote":"","show_hits":"","show_noauth":"","urls_position":"","alternative_readmore":"","article_page_title":"","video_url":"","channel_id":"UCLBR-2LtTtui_WiRuEfW3qA","send":"0","test":"0","comments":"1","readingDiff":"3","schema_active":"0","schema_name":"","schema_description":"","schema_thumbnailUrl":"","schema_uploadDate":"","schema_duration":"","schema_contentUrl":"","schema_embedUrl":"","canonical_link":""}" ["metadata"]=> string(68) "{"robots":"","author":"","rights":"","xreference":"","metatitle":""}" ["metakey"]=> string(78) "olympic, effect, property, equity, investors, covid, disaster, payments, super" ["metadesc"]=> string(200) "On this episode of The nestegg Podcast, host Maja Garaca Djurdjevic and three experts discuss the ongoing NSW lockdown, the ins and outs of the COVID-19 Disaster Payments, and how Brisbane’s succe" ["access"]=> string(1) "1" ["hits"]=> string(2) "48" ["xreference"]=> string(0) "" ["featured"]=> string(1) "0" ["language"]=> string(1) "*" ["readmore"]=> string(4) "1014" ["ordering"]=> string(1) "0" ["category_title"]=> string(7) "Podcast" ["category_route"]=> string(17) "resources/podcast" ["category_access"]=> string(1) "1" ["category_alias"]=> string(7) "podcast" ["published"]=> string(1) "1" ["parents_published"]=> string(1) "1" ["lft"]=> string(2) "82" ["author"]=> string(12) "Robyn Tongol" ["author_email"]=> string(33) "[email protected].au" ["parent_title"]=> string(9) "Resources" ["parent_id"]=> string(3) "300" ["parent_route"]=> string(9) "resources" ["parent_alias"]=> string(9) "resources" ["alternative_readmore"]=> NULL ["layout"]=> NULL ["params"]=> object(Joomla\Registry\Registry)#6168 (3) { ["data":protected]=> object(stdClass)#6164 (95) { ["article_layout"]=> string(14) "momentum:newne" ["show_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_titles"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_intro"]=> string(1) "0" ["info_block_position"]=> string(1) "0" ["info_block_show_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_category"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_parent_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["link_parent_category"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_associations"]=> string(1) "0" ["flags"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["link_author"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_create_date"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_modify_date"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_publish_date"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_item_navigation"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_vote"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_readmore"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_readmore_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["readmore_limit"]=> string(3) "100" ["show_tags"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_icons"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_print_icon"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_email_icon"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_hits"]=> string(1) "1" ["record_hits"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_noauth"]=> string(1) "0" ["urls_position"]=> string(1) "0" ["captcha"]=> string(0) "" ["show_publishing_options"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_article_options"]=> string(1) "1" ["save_history"]=> string(1) "1" ["history_limit"]=> int(10) ["show_urls_images_frontend"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_urls_images_backend"]=> string(1) "1" ["targeta"]=> int(0) ["targetb"]=> int(0) ["targetc"]=> int(0) ["float_intro"]=> string(4) "left" ["float_fulltext"]=> string(5) "right" ["category_layout"]=> string(14) "momentum:newne" ["show_category_heading_title_text"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_category_title"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_description"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_description_image"]=> string(1) "0" ["maxLevel"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_empty_categories"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_no_articles"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_subcat_desc"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_cat_num_articles"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_cat_tags"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_base_description"]=> string(1) "1" ["maxLevelcat"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_empty_categories_cat"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_subcat_desc_cat"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_cat_num_articles_cat"]=> string(1) "1" ["num_leading_articles"]=> string(2) "14" ["num_intro_articles"]=> string(1) "0" ["num_columns"]=> string(1) "0" ["num_links"]=> string(1) "0" ["multi_column_order"]=> string(1) "0" ["show_subcategory_content"]=> string(2) "-1" ["show_pagination_limit"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter_field"]=> string(4) "hide" ["show_headings"]=> string(1) "1" ["list_show_date"]=> string(9) "published" ["date_format"]=> string(0) "" ["list_show_hits"]=> string(1) "0" ["list_show_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["orderby_pri"]=> string(4) "none" ["orderby_sec"]=> string(5) "rdate" ["order_date"]=> string(9) "published" ["show_pagination"]=> string(1) "2" ["show_pagination_results"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_featured"]=> string(4) "show" ["show_feed_link"]=> string(1) "1" ["feed_summary"]=> string(1) "0" ["feed_show_readmore"]=> string(1) "0" ["sef_advanced"]=> int(1) ["sef_ids"]=> int(1) ["custom_fields_enable"]=> string(1) "1" ["show_page_heading"]=> NULL ["layout_type"]=> string(4) "blog" ["menu_text"]=> int(1) ["menu_show"]=> int(1) ["page_title"]=> string(70) "Save Money - Tips and Strategies to Reach your Savings Goals | nestegg" ["menu-meta_description"]=> string(144) "Take control of your finances with our comprehensive tips and guides to debt consolidation, expenses, budgeting, savings account and tax saving." ["secure"]=> int(0) ["page_description"]=> string(7) "nestegg" ["page_rights"]=> NULL ["robots"]=> NULL ["page_heading"]=> string(70) "Save Money - Tips and Strategies to Reach your Savings Goals | nestegg" ["access-view"]=> bool(true) } ["initialized":protected]=> bool(true) ["separator"]=> string(1) "." } ["displayDate"]=> string(19) "2021-07-27 06:38:13" ["slug"]=> string(94) "17126:the-olympic-effect-on-property-and-equity-investors-covid-19-disaster-payments-and-super" ["catslug"]=> string(11) "302:podcast" ["link"]=> string(107) "/resources/podcast/the-olympic-effect-on-property-and-equity-investors-covid-19-disaster-payments-and-super" ["image"]=> string(65) "images/podcasts/090321_Angel_Zhong_Steve_Waters_Timothy_Munro.jpg" ["image_alt"]=> string(0) "" } }

Latest Podcast

The Olympic effect on property and equity investors; COVID-19 Disaster Payments ...

Resources

There is $17.5 billion in lost and unclaimed super across ...

Save

TikTok sees scammers target new victims

By Grace Ormsby

September 29 2020
Share

Save

TikTok sees scammers target new victims

By Grace Ormsby
September 29 2020

Australians could be throwing away their hard-earned money with the purchase and download of a number of intrusive apps currently being advertised on social media giant TikTok.

TikTok sees scammers target new victims

By Grace Ormsby

September 29 2020
Share

Australians could be throwing away their hard-earned money with the purchase and download of a number of intrusive apps currently being advertised on social media giant TikTok.

Digital security company Avast has given the warning, after it said it had discovered seven adware scam apps available in Australia on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store.

According to the organisation, many of these apps are being advertised on social media video platform TikTok, with unsuspecting users paying money for these “useless” apps.

It discovered at least three profiles dedicated to pushing the apps, one of which has more than 300,000 followers.

The iOS and Android apps appear to be developed by the same person or group. The links promoted on the social media profiles lead to the iOS or Android versions of the apps, depending on the device the link is being accessed from.

Avast said many of the apps are posing as entertainment – games to “shock your friends”, wallpaper apps or music downloaders – at a cost.

It labelled some of those apps as “HiddenAds trojans”, a type of trojan that disguises itself as a safe and useful application but instead serves intrusive ads outside of the app and hides the original app icon, making it difficult for users to identify where the ads are being served from, Avast said.

“The apps we discovered are scams and violate both Google’s and Apple’s app policies by either making misleading claims around app functionalities, or serving ads outside of the app and hiding the original app icon soon after the app is installed,” explained Jakub Vávra, a threat analyst.

He said it’s of particular concern that the apps are being promoted on social media platforms which are popular among younger kids, “who may not recognise some of the red flags surrounding the apps and therefore may fall for them”.

According to Avast Threat Lab, there were over 6,600 Australian users attacked by adware this year, with peaks in February, May and June.

Globally, the apps have been downloaded more than 2.4 million times, earning the scammers upwards of $500,000.

The ease with which these scams operate has led Avast to give some insight into how Australians can better protect themselves from these types of scams:

Carefully read reviews

Adware and scam apps can be difficult to recognise, as they are often disguised as entertainment apps like gaming apps.

But Avast said some signs that an app could be a scam include low app ratings and negative reviews that point out excessive ads or low functionality of the alleged app features.

Mr Vávra also said reviews that are too positive can also be a sign something is amiss: “In addition to the seven apps, we also noticed the app developers have more apps, with very low downloads and reviews, but the handful of reviews they have are extremely positive and enthusiastic, which can also be a sign that something is suspicious”.

Question prices

Avast says users should consider what they are paying for.

If the price tag for an app makes sense, considering what the app is offering, then it is less likely to be a scam.

Mr Vávra said many scam apps “offer basic or unrealistic features, like simple games that claim to shock players, or wallpapers for around $8”.

It’s a lot of money, considering games and features like this are often offered for free by other developers.

Check permissions

Before downloading apps, users should check the permissions the app is requesting and consider if they make sense for the app to function properly.

Mr Vávra said that Android app “ThemeZone - Shawky App” requests access to a device’s external storage, which can include photos, videos and files, depending on how the storage is used.

“Accessing external storage is not a must for a wallpaper app,” he warned.

Monitor downloads

Keeping an eye on usage by children is also vital to avoid accidentally downloading scamware.

Mr Vávra said it’s important parents do speak to their children about apps and what to look out for before downloading an app, or even “make it a rule for children to ask for permission before allowing them to download an app, to avoid potential unnecessary costs”.

nestegg has previously asked the question: Is TikTok the new kid on the scam block?

Forward this article to a friend. Follow us on Linkedin. Join us on Facebook. Find us on Twitter for the latest updates

Rate the article

About the author

Grace Ormsby

Grace is a journalist on Momentum Media's nestegg. She enjoys being able to provide easy to digest information and practical tips for Australians with regard to their wealth, as well as having a platform on which to engage leading experts and commentators and leverage their insight.

About the author

Grace Ormsby

Scams

5 giveaway signs of stock market scams and how to avoid them

Have you ever seen a pop-up when scrolling through social media or websites claiming a certain platform, financial adviser or celebrity can help you make thousands by ‘investing’ in programs or ve...Read more

Scams

Businesses lose $128m to this email scam

Australian businesses are being warned to remain vigilant, with a payment redirection email scam costing them $128 million in 2020. ...Read more

Scams

ASIC bans Sydney adviser for depriving clients of their funds

ASIC has slapped a permanent ban on a Sydney-based financial adviser after he gambled and lost a significant amount of client funds without their knowledge. ...Read more

Scams

Australians lost $851m to scammers in 2020

As Australian life shifted indoors during the pandemic, scammers weren’t far behind. ...Read more

Scams

ASIC rings alarm bell over Qantas bond investment scams

Australia’s securities regulator has warned investors to be wary after reports of a scam offering dodgy Qantas Airways corporate bonds. ...Read more

Scams

Financial adviser sent to prison for pocketing $2.9m in client funds

A former financial adviser has been sentenced to jail for misappropriating approximately $2.9 million of his clients’ funds without their knowledge. ...Read more

Scams

Fake news: ASIC warns investors over latest investment scam

The corporate regulator is warning of an increased number of reports from consumers who have lost their money after responding to an advertisement that directs to a fake news site. ...Read more

Scams

Aussies tipped to lose over $1m in car-based scams

Bargain-hunting Australians are being lured into car-related scams, with scammers posting fake in-demand cars at below market value, the consumer watchdog has warned. ...Read more