Latest news with #scam
SBS Australia
27 minutes ago
- SBS Australia
Australians warned of new 'spoof call' scam impersonating consumer watchdog
Australians are being warned that scammers are reportedly spoofing phone numbers belonging to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in an attempt to steal personal information. The National Anti-Scam Centre, which operates under the ACCC, issued a warning after it became aware of scammers using ACCC phone numbers, which are listed on the agency's official website. Here's what you need to know about the latest scam, how to spot it, and what to do if you are targeted. The scammers are reportedly using the phone numbers to pretend to be representatives of the ACCC and request personal information from unsuspecting recipients. According to the National Anti-Scam Centre, the numbers have been "spoofed", and the ACCC does not make calls from the publicly listed numbers. ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said: "Spoofing is when scammers disguise their phone number to make it look like they're calling from a trusted organisation — including government agencies like the ACCC — to deceive people into answering and sharing personal information." "This is a tactic that helps scammers hide their true identity while posing as trusted institutions — it's designed to lower your guard." If a call or message feels suspicious, the ACCC recommends ending the call and contacting the agency directly to verify the information. In some of the reported incidents, scammers requested sensitive information over the phone, misused the ACCC acronym to impersonate an unrelated organisation, or spoke in a language other than English. The ACCC says it will never 'cold' call or email consumers and ask for personal information such as passwords, bank details, or answers to security questions. The ACCC also does not charge money for its services and does not threaten or pressure you to stay on the line. If a caller does any of these things, it could be a scam. The ACCC suggests hanging up and reporting the incident. The National Anti-Scam Centre also said 'urgent' requests asking people to 'act immediately' could be a sign of a scam. If you receive an unusual call, message or email, consider whether it could be fake — even if it appears to come from an organisation you know and trust. The ACCC advises if something feels wrong, it is best to act quickly. End the call, and contact the organisation directly yourself to verify if the call was real or not. Any scams should be reported to ScamWatch, and messages received on platforms like WhatsApp or iMessage should also be reported. If you have provided personal information, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 and contact your bank immediately.
Malay Mail
2 hours ago
- Malay Mail
Singapore police: More than 200 suspected scammers, money mules under investigation in SS$3.89m probe
SINGAPORE, June 20 — Over 220 individuals are being investigated by police for their alleged roles in scam operations that caused victims to lose more than S$3.89 million (RM12.87 million). The suspects — 153 men and 70 women, aged between 15 and 89 — are believed to be linked to more than 790 scam cases, police said in a statement yesterday, as reported by The Straits Times. The scams include friend impersonation, investment, job and e-commerce scams, as well as cases involving fraudsters posing as government officials or advertising fake rental properties. The arrests followed a two-week island-wide enforcement operation conducted from June 6 to 19 by officers from the Commercial Affairs Department and the seven police land divisions. Police said the suspects are being investigated for offences including cheating, money laundering and providing unlicensed payment services. Those convicted of cheating can face up to 10 years in jail and a fine. The penalty for money laundering is up to 10 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to S$500,000, or both. Providing payment services without a licence carries a jail term of up to three years, a fine of up to S$125,000, or both.
Daily Mail
9 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Hardworking teacher, 28, lived as recluse to build impressive nest egg...then scammers got him on the phone
A hardworking young teacher lived a reclusive life to build up his savings - but fell victim to evil phone scammers who stole it all with a few strokes of a keyboard. Russell Leahy, 28, practiced a frugal lifestyle by avoiding going out on the weekends and traveling, but his life came to a screeching halt when he realized he'd been a victim of a scam. Leahy, of Fort Worth in Texas, lost over $32,000 after he gave his bank account information to a fraudster who manipulated him into believing they were with Chase Bank's fraud department. The teacher said the scammers mastered Chase's protocol by playing the bank's recording at the start of the call that says, 'This call is being recorded for quality and training purposes.' The fraudsters quoted Leahy's exact bank balances and manipulated him into believing that his account had been compromised. Leahy believed that he needed to move his money into a new account to protect his savings, so he gave the information to protect the cash he had worked for. The scammers also sent him text messages and told him not to alert the tellers at his bank, as they were investigating a leak. Leahy hadn't thought anything of it because of the scammers' ability to mirror Chase's fraud process until he noticed his money was gone. 'I had literally never felt like the wind had been taken out of my sails before,' Leahy told local ABC affiliate, WFAA News. 'I'd never really felt like I was gonna pass out before, but it really felt like the end of the world for me.' Leahy said the experience was 'violating' and felt like he was 'being taken advantage of.' He filed a claim with Chase Bank, but only received $2,247.85. 'These types of scams are heartbreaking. We urge all consumers to ignore phone, text or internet requests for money or access to their computer or bank accounts,' a representative for Chase told 'Banks and legitimate companies won't make these requests, but scammers will.' Fraud differs from scams as fraud involves someone illegally gaining access to an account without the holder's permission. Scams, on the other hand, are 'a deceptive scheme or trick used to cheat someone out of their money or other valuable assets,' according to Chase. Scammers use manipulative information to deceive victims with non-existent products, phishing emails, fake websites, and spoofed Caller IDs. Leahy has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to help alleviate the stress of living paycheck-to-paycheck while he fights Chase for his money. 'I've hired a lawyer. I've filed complaints with the CFPB, the Texas Attorney General, and the FTC,' he wrote in the description. 'I've done everything a person can do and I'm still left trying to survive on what little I have left.' Leahy said he filed a fraud claim with Chase, including a police report, screenshots of the texts and calls between the scammers, IRS documentation, and ATM receipts. He also claimed the bank sent a PSA email just days after he submitted a claim, describing the scam that he was a victim of. Despite the stresses he's endured, Leahy said he hopes the silver lining is that others learn from his story. 'I'd rather me be the sacrificial lamb for the rest of these people and maybe save other people's money from being stolen,' Leahy told WFAA. Chase advises customers not to answer calls or texts from a representative telling them to send money to another account. The bank never asks customers to send money to themselves. Customers who receive similar calls should hang up and call the number on the back of their Chase card.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
Conman bathroom fitter defrauded customers out of thousands
A conman has been sentenced after posing as a professional bathroom fitter and defrauding customers out of thousands of pounds to fund a gambling John Harbottle, of Aiskew near Bedale, pleaded with customers for advance payments, saying he was desperate to pay his bills, but failed to complete the work, police 41-year-old, who admitted fraud by false representation and theft, was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for two years, at York Crown Court on was also ordered to repay his victims a total of £19,231 and carry out 180 hours of unpaid work. A North Yorkshire Police investigation found that Harbottle's requests for advance payments coincided with spikes in his gambling court was told that he used aliases and changed the name of his business to evade bad reviews. 'Kindness exploited' In one case, an 85-year-old woman paid Harbottle £2,500 to refurbish her bathroom. He gave six dates on which he would start the work, but never turned up nor contacted the victim customer paid more than £7,500 for multiple refurbishments in his hotel which were left unfinished or sub-standard. He also pre-purchased bathroom fittings worth more than £5,000 that Harbottle stole and sold on eBay. The victim suffered from lost revenue of about £20,000 as a result.A third victim paid £3,700 for a bathroom that was left damaged and never completed. Investigating officer PC Emily Blackwell said: "Thanks to our financial investigators, we were able to evidence that Harbottle would dishonestly obtain money from the victims, only to fund his gambling activities. "The kindness of the victims was completely exploited as he received additional payments by manipulating those generous enough to believe him."Not only have they suffered financially but they have also suffered psychological distress, losing trust in people and, in some cases, the worry has affected their physical health." Listen to highlights from North Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
BBC News
11 hours ago
- Business
- BBC News
Boss of Bournemouth-based home insulation firm jailed for fraud
The director of a home insulation company who encouraged his sales staff to "systematically" bully and lie to vulnerable customers has been Beckett – whose businesses were the subject of a BBC Rip Off Britain investigation in 2018 – was found guilty at Bournemouth Crown Court of two counts of fraudulent said the 41-year-old's two firms, NRG Installs Ltd and The Insulate Group Ltd, turned over £8m between 2017 and 2018 before they closed. Becket, of Canford Magna, Poole, was sentenced to six years and six months in prison. Officers identified 28 victims of Beckett's companies - operating from a call centre in Hinton Road, Bournemouth - around the also uncovered scripts used by his staff containing unsubstantiated and misleading included claims they could reduce a customer's heating bill by 40%, falsely stating that prices could be reduced via age-related discount codes, and charging different amounts for the same products. Unbeknown to police at the time, the BBC was also investigating Beckett and he was captured discussing changing his companies' corporate identity and feigning a mental illness to stop the programme being aired. 'Lengthy investigation' Det Insp Jamie Halford, of Dorset Police, said: "Our investigation found that Beckett was operating two corrupt and fraudulent businesses. "He encouraged his sales staff to persistently and systematically lie in order to deceive, mislead and bully customers who were known to be vulnerable in order to make as much money as possible."This was a lengthy investigation, which saw us work with various Trading Standards teams across the country and expert chartered surveyors in order to build a strong case against Beckett."The work of Beckett's companies had a lasting effect on some victims, who encountered difficulties when trying to sell their properties due to the spray foam that was installed when it was not required." You can follow BBC Dorset on Facebook, X (Twitter), or Instagram.
