BEWARE OF ONLINE SCAMMERS

• Thinking twice– You have been advised that you won a foreign lotto but didn’t enter it, remember the old saying “You’ve got to be in it to win it!”
• Protecting your identity– Your personal details are private and invaluable; keep them safe and away from scammers. Don’t use emailed links to access your banking, always type westpac.com.au into your browser.
• Check out the person, are they really who they say they are?– Scammers will go to great lengths to create heart breaking, appealing or compelling stories in order to trick you into giving them your money, your personal information or even access to your computer. One way you can check is to Google the scam; this can help you find out if they are legitimate, or if others have experienced a similar incident.
• Don’t let perfect strangers remotely access your computer– Now that we are starting to recognise email scams, fraudsters are trying to sell you more convincing stories, like accessing your computer from their remote location to assist in resolving an issue that you are not aware of. The fraudster is ultimately trying to capture your banking and personal details. If you receive a call like this, just hang up.
• Only pay via secure payment methods– look for a web address starting with ‘https’ and a closed padlock symbol. Never use a wire transfer service to send money to anyone you do not know or trust, and do not share your financial details with anyone.

For additional information visit the Government website at: SCAMWATCH