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 12
March 2007
Fraud Awareness Month - Protect
Your Phone
Think that phone call or text message sounds like a scam?
"Hang up or delete" is the advice today from the Ministry
of Consumer Affairs and the Commerce Commission, as part
of Fraud Awareness Month.
"As well as the cold-call scam promising an incredible
investment return that has been around for a while now,
scammers are devising more sophisticated ways to take advantage
of consumers through phone calls or texts," says Liz MacPherson,
General Manager of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs.
"Scammers might disguise themselves as friends - using
chatty "Hi, you back yet?" style text messages to get you
to reply. Don't think that these must be from someone you
know. Always check a phone number before replying - it may
not be a friend at all."
Consumers can avoid scams that target them by phone when
they know what to look out for, or exercise caution so as
not to fall into the scammer's trap.
Ms McPherson offered the following tips to help consumers
protect themselves from phone scams:
- If the call is unwanted, or sounds too good to
be true, hang up;
- Be suspicious of unexpected calls and text messages.
Before replying, check the number - you might be charged
at a higher rate to return the call, fax or text if
it goes to an 0900 service;
- If you are receiving unwanted text messages: text
"Stop" to the number;
- Don't give your number to just anyone. Ask them
why they need your number and what will they use it
for. Also think about using the facility on your phone
to block your phone number when you make calls. Contact
your phone company for advice on how to block your phone
number.
Businesses can also be targeted by scammers over the
phone or by fax, advises Deborah Battell, Commerce Commission
Director of Fair Trading.
Proforma invoicing is one example. This is the practice
of charging a business for advertisements they did not order
or authorise. In these cases, a person will telephone a
business confirming that an advertisement has been approved
for placement in a publication, when the business has not,
in fact, previously approved it.
Ms Battell says, "Businesses receiving proforma invoices
should exercise the same caution as they would with any
unsolicited offer. Do not sign or approve anything on the
spot. Ask who approved the advertising. Be suspicious if
the caller cannot give a name and check with any named person
first."
Background
Consumer scams are crimes of dishonesty, such as forgery,
counterfeiting, on-line deception, and theft, that target
people who seek to purchase goods and services. Potential
victims can be those who use computers and the internet,
older people, people whose financial situation makes them
interested in "get rich quick schemes", and people who use
mobile phones.
As part of a trans-Tasman approach to combat consumer
fraud and scams targeted at consumers, the Australasian
Consumer Fraud Taskforce was established in March 2005 and
comprises 18 government regulatory agencies and departments
in Australia and New Zealand.
Agencies participating in the Taskforce are:
New Zealand Government: Commerce Commission; Ministry
of Consumer Affairs.
Australian Government: Attorney General's Department;
Australian Bureau of Statistics; Australian Communications
and Media Authority; Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission; Australian Federal Police (represented by the
Australian High Tech Crime Centre); Australian Institute
of Criminology; Australian Securities and Investment Commission;
Department of Communications, Information Technology and
the Arts
State and Territory Governments: All State and Territory
Police jurisdictions; Australian Capital Territory - Office
of Fair Trading; Consumer Affairs Victoria; New South Wales
- Office of Fair Trading; Northern Territory - Department
of Justice; Queensland - Department of Tourism, Fair Trading
and Wine Industry Development; South Australia - Office
of Consumer and Business Affairs; Tasmania - Office of Consumer
Affairs and Fair Trading; Western Australia - Department
of Consumer and Employment Protection.
New Zealand private sector participants in 2007 Fraud
Awareness Month: Visa, members of the New Zealand Bankers'
Association, Telecom, Vodafone, TelstraClear, and Trade
Me.
Consumers who think they've spotted a
scam can get more information and report them on
Scamwatch.
Consumers affected by scams can complete
the Fraud
Awareness Month online survey [link to
AIC website].
Consumers can also report scams to
the Commerce
Commission [link to Commission website].
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