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With Christmas around the corner, it can be a very busy and stressful time of year. In between festive celebrations, tick off whatever is left on your annual to-do list and shopping For that perfect gift online, it can be easy for you to give guard Against fraudsters.
Australians lost more than A$2 billion Scams In 2024. This year also the losses are likely to be similar.
Often, scammers will try to create a Understanding Due to urgency, moving your intention forward victim Now to take action. As we prepare our shopping lists and festive lunches, now is also the right time to be alert to scams.
Here’s how to prepare yourself – and your loved ones – for a safe and scam-free Christmas and New Year.
current wave of scams
Online shopping scams are especially prevalent at this time of year, with the sales season well underway. They can take many forms.
Scammers will create fake online stores, create advertisements for products that do not exist or send products that are of lower quality than expected.
Many people are expecting more packages to arrive than usual this time of year. Taking advantage of this, scammers send phishing text messages and emails pretending to be from the postal service and couriers.
Investment scams happen all year long and Christmas is no different. Scammers can target you through phone calls, text messages, emails, and social media posts.
Scams involving cryptocurrencies have been particularly common this year, and any unsolicited “investment opportunity” should arouse immediate suspicion.
Romance Scams: Christmas can be a difficult time of year for many people. Loneliness is a bit difficult for some people, and single people may be looking to start the new year with a new relationship.
Romance scams exploit our desire for relationship. If your “partner” is asking for money under any circumstances, especially when you’ve only met online, this should be a red flag.
I can’t believe what I’m seeing and hearing now
The development of technology is rapidly changing the way we live our personal and professional lives. Scammers have taken advantage of this opportunity.
Fraudsters will use every possible tool to persuade and manipulate victims. And artificial intelligence tools have changed the game.
Deep Fakes: It’s easier than ever to create high quality and realistic images and videos. Criminals will use these to support their stories and help gain your trust. Just because you’ve seen something doesn’t mean it’s real.
Voice cloning: Like images, scammers can now create a realistic impersonation of a person’s voice with a relatively small amount of content. That distressed phone call you receive from a loved one may not be them, but simply a scammer trying to get your money.
Scripting: While larger language models, like ChatGPT and Cloud, can be useful for helping you draft emails or reports, scammers are using these tools to help script their fraudulent pitches. This can help criminals design specific ways to target potential victims.
The 3-Step Plan You Should Make Now
Although the threat of scams may seem overwhelming, there are three positive steps you can take now to reduce your risk. victim,
1. Evaluate yourself
Everyone has some weakness or vulnerability that makes them vulnerable to scams. And each one is going to be different. Scammers are ruthless and systematic in their targets.
Think about your situation, your personality, and your daily routine. What kinds of viewpoints might you be sensitive to? What measures can you take to combat them?
2. Do a digital audit
Make sure your accounts and devices are properly secured with strong passwords, updated software, and multi-factor authentication where available.
Make sure you are comfortable with your privacy settings on any social media accounts. While it may seem obvious, it’s still important to get the basics right and take control of your digital footprint.
3. Create a family password
As a family, choose a word or phrase that may not be obvious but is important to you and is easy to remember.
About the author
Cassandra Cross is Associate Dean (Learning and Teaching) in the Faculty of Creative Industries, Education and Social Justice at Queensland University of Technology. This article is republished from Conversation Under Creative Commons license. read the original article,
Think of it as a family password. Use this family code word or pass phrase to verify any communications purportedly coming from family members.
stay connected
Also, make it part of your daily routine to talk to family and friends about texts and emails you receive, as well as what you see in the news. Talking openly about the ways you are being targeted helps others recognize when it happens to them.
Analyze the different approaches you get and try to figure out what the criminal is hoping to achieve and why they might succeed.
If you or someone in your family is a victim of a scam, know who you can talk to. If you’re unsure about something you should receive, feel confident in stepping back and asking for advice or talking to someone you trust.
Criminals trust us to take immediate action and create a sense of urgency. Know that it’s okay to hang up, not answer, or walk away.
If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam, you can report it to ReportCyber as well as your bank or financial institution. For assistance, contact iDcare. Consult Scamwatch for further prevention advice.