Say ‘bah humbug!’ to scammers

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Woman on phone in distress

Scammers are criminals who manipulate and deceive you into giving them your money or personal information. Common scams include ‘too good to be true’ offers, fake goods and services (especially online), and callers who impersonate people or representatives of trusted organisations. 

Scammers like to exploit our festive mood during the holidays and take advantage of people who are often busier than usual, and on the lookout for the perfect gift. 

DVA is encouraging everyone to make yourself a harder target for scammers by staying up to date on the latest scam alerts on the Scamwatch website: www.scamwatch.gov.au

You can follow these 3 easy steps to avoid falling victim to a scam: 

1. STOP – Don’t give money or personal information, including your DVA client number, to anyone. If you are unsure, say no, hang up, delete. Don’t click on links that are offering you free products or services. 

2. CHECK – Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust like MyGov, your bank, the police or government. Sometimes these people may also pretend to be health professionals or ex-service organisations. If you’re not sure, call the official phone number of the organisation to check. 

3. REPORT – The more we talk, the less power they have. Report scams to www.scamwatch.gov. au when you see them. 

To help you stay up to date on the latest scams, you can also sub[1]scribe to regular scam alert emails from Scamwatch. 

Keep your personal and financial information safe and say ‘bah humbug!’ to scammers – so you can enjoy the festive season with your family and loved ones