Australians over the age of 65 are the most vulnerable age group for falling victim to scammers.

Queensland Attorney-General and Minister for Justice Shannon Fentiman said Australians over the age of 65 reported almost four times the amount of losses to scammers in August this year compared with August 2019, before the pandemic.

Ms Fentiman said senior Queenslanders needed to be aware of investment scams, dating and romance scams and remote access scams where the victim is tricked into giving remote access to their computer, phone or tablet only to have their private information stolen.

These were the most common methods scammers used to try to trick Australia’s seniors into handing over money.

“Investment scams promising big payouts or quick money are overwhelmingly the biggest scams people lose money to,” Ms Fentiman said.

“And my advice is, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”

 She said a recent tactic by scammers was the ‘Hi Mum’ scam, where the victim receives a text from someone impersonating a family member saying they had lost their phone and were asking the victim for money.

“My advice to Queenslanders is to check the Scam Watch website regularly to stay updated on the latest scams and how you can avoid them,” she said.

“Also, if you have been impacted by the recent Optus data breach, you can visit IDCARE online for information about how you might be impacted by the breach and what you can do to protect yourself.”

Tips from the Office of Fair Trading

• Be wary of phone calls, or text messages from numbers you do not know, and never give the caller or sender your personal details.
• If you receive emails asking you to verify your contact details, do not reply – contact the organisation directly using contact details sourced through an online search or phone book.
• Be suspicious of any requests for money.
• If you receive phone calls or emails offering financial advice or investment opportunities, hang up or delete the email.
• If you are looking to invest money, do your research and check the company or scheme is licensed on the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s website
• Stay updated on the latest scams and how to avoid them on the Scam Watch website.
• Visit IDCARE to see how you can protect yourself.

“It’s important that people talk about scams because by reducing the stigma around scams, we can help more people learn to identify and avoid them,” Ms Fentiman said.

“Tell your friends and family about Scam Watch and IDCARE so they know how to spot a scam, avoid being scammed, and importantly, know what to do to reduce identity theft.”

The Office of Fair Trading regularly talks to community groups about consumer protection and scam awareness. For more information about how you can book a guest speaker, visit the Fair Trading website or call 13 74 68.