We may have been in lockdown but the scammers have been working hard. As of 31 August 2021, Scamwatch has received over 190,000 reports and recorded $192 million in losses in 2021 so far. That’s a staggering 95.4% increase since this time last year!
The top three scams for the year are:
‘Flubot’ Malware Scams are new and since August, 8,700 of these malware scams have been reported. Flubot scams involve a missed-call text message with a link to listen to the voicemail. The link downloads malware onto the device and sends it to all contacts. It can only infect an android device, however, it may download other malicious software onto iPhones.
One of the fastest growing scams in Australia, remote access scams have cost Australians $10 million this year. That’s a whopping 179% increase from 2020.
Scammers pretend to be from a large reputable organisation such as Telstra, a bank or an IT company. They request urgent remote access to a user’s computer to fix an issue. Once the scammer gains access to the victim’s computer, they access their personal information and banking details.
Investment Scams have cost Australians over $90 million in reported losses. More than 50% are cryptocurrency scams where the victim is pressured into spending $250-$500 with ongoing pressure to continue investing – only to be told they’ve lost their money or their access is blocked.
What can you do about the rise in scams?
To help increase awareness about this growing issue in your organisation, Scam Week 2021, encourages everyone to take four actions:
Are your business systems and devices at risk?
Keeping your business systems and devices safe from the harmful impacts of scammers is challenging, especially with the significant rise of attacks. If you need advice on the safety and security of your devices, networks, systems and data, call the Tresami team on 1300 318 444 or get in touch here.
