Reader’s Digest International — August 2017

August• 2017 | 43

READER’S DIGEST

service, scammers are very clever at
what they do. “It’s becoming much
harder for people to identify what’s
real and what’s not.”
What to look out for: Check all emails
carefully. Look at the logo and the
email address. Are there spelling or
grammatical mistakes? No bank will
request personal information
via an email. Ever. “It’s just
not in companies’ interests
to communicate via email
as emails go astray,” advises
McDonald. “Just click delete.”

If you’re suspicious, do an inter-

net search using the exact names or

wording of the email. You’re likely to

see hundreds of others have also been

targeted. Many scams are identified

this way.

INVESTMENT AND

ROMANCE SCAMS

Often the amount you might

lose to a scammer is rela-

tively small – more than

half of people who reported

losing money to the ACCC

Q Protect and regularly change your
passwords.

Q Stop and think before you click on
any email or attachment.

Q Install anti-virus software on your
computer.

Q Safely store or dispose of your
personal and financial information
such as statements, receipts and
financial documents.

Q Check your statements regularly
to identify any irregular transactions.
Know when your utility bills are due
and who your providers are. If an online
bill comes at the wrong time or from a
company that isn’t yours, delete it.

QDon’t do internet

banking using a

public computer or

public Wi-Fi.

Q If you think you’ve

been scammed, call your bank. In

some cases your money may be

refunded, but you need to be quick.

Q Most banks offer facilities that enable

you to lock and block certain types of

transactions immediately. You can do

this online, by phone or in the branch.

Q Always access internet banking

sites by typing the bank’s address into

your web browser, not by clicking

through from email links.

Q In Australia, report scams to

Scamwatch at http://www.scamwatch.gov.

au/report-a-scam or the Australian

Cybercrime Online Reporting

Network (ACORN) at https://report.

acorn.gov.au/. In New Zealand, report

scams to netsafe.org.nz/report; or

call 0509 NETSAFE (0508 638 723).

Every report helps these agencies to

build a profile of the scammers so

that they can warn others.

TIPS TO AVOID A SCAM