August• 2017 | 41With scammers staying one step ahead
of authorities and targeting the elderly,
it’s never been more important to know how
to spot and avoid their traps
ROY MCCRINDLE, 82, had noticed
his computer was slow so he was re-
lieved when Microsoft called him to
offer a solution. The caller directed
him to a website to download a pro-
gram costing $70.
Roy watched as the bogus company
accessed his computer and fiddled
around on his screen. It wasn’t long
before he realised something wasn’t
right. “It wasn’t as if I didn’t have prob-
lems with my computer; this is why I
fell for it,” he says. “I knew the guy was
telling me lies but I somehow still went
along with it.”
Once the call was over, he called
his son immediately. “Dad,” he said,
“You’ve been scammed.”
Immediate action saved Roy’s com-
puter – and bank accounts – from fur-
ther attack, but the incident left Roy
wondering how he could have been
duped so easily.
He’s not alone. Roy was one of more
than 20,000 Australians over 65
who reported being targeted
by scammers to the ACCC’s
Scamwatch last year.
Many victims, however,
do not report their expe-
riences. While all of us are
vulnerable, there has been
a huge growth in the number of older
Australians affected: they comprised
26% of reports made to Scamwatch in
2016, up from 21% in 2015.
Delia Rickard, deputy chair of the
ACCC, says more over-65s than ever
are cashed up and active online,
making them obvious targets. “The
message – for everyone – is never, ever
give anyone who contacts you access
to personal information or remote
access to your computer,” she says.
Cybercrime is big business – very
big business. Almost $300 million was
lost in Australia to more than 200,000
scams in 2016, according to the ACCC.
While Australia has some of the best
detection and prevention measures in
the world, sophisticated criminal syn-
dicates continue to find new ways to
breach cyber defences and target the
weakest points in the system.
“All consumers should be aware
of scams,” says Clive van Horen,
executive general manager, retail
products and strategy, at the
Commonwealth Bank.
“Scammers target cus-
tomers who are less digi-
tally savvy, more trusting
and less likely to pick up
anything suspicious.”