Volume 6 – (Issue 3) NHWA Journal September 2011

Transcription

Australian Capital Territory
Victoria New Zealand
New South Wales
Queensland
Northern Territory
South Australia
Western Australia
Tasmania
Print Post Publication No. PP337586/00075
SCAMS AND YOU
Official Journal of Neighbourhood Watch Australasia Incorporating Neighbourhood Support New Zealand
Volume 6 • Issue 3 • September 2011
CONTENTS
10
EVERY ISSUE
02 From the President
03 From the Editor
05 National Executive
EDITORIAL
06 Scam Scratchie Cards
09 Advice for Carers and Care Workers
REPORTS
10
12
14
18
20
23
Contributions to Neighbourhood Watch Australasia:
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Secretariat: Steve Batterham 0417 797567
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Countrywide Austral as the authorised publisher.
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magazine, please contact the publishers:
Countrywide Austral Pty Ltd
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Postal: GPO Box 2466, Melbourne 3001
Ph: (03) 9937 0200 Fax: (03) 9937 0201
Email: admin@cwaustral.com.au
Disclaimer
Countrywide Austral (“Publisher”) advises that the contents
of this publication are at the sole discretion of Neighbourhood
Watch Australasia, and the publication is offered for information
purposes only. The publication has been formulated in good faith
and the Publisher believes its contents to be accurate. However,
the contents do not amount to a recommendation (either
expressly or by implication) and should not be relied upon in lieu
of specific professional advice. Neighbourhood Watch Australasia
make no representation, nor give any warranty or guarantee
concerning the information provided. The Publisher disclaims all
responsibility for any loss or damage which may be incurred by any
reader relying upon the information contained in the publication
whether that loss or damage is caused by any fault or negligence
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Copyright
All advertisements appearing in this publication are subject
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of commercial dealings, will be given to any advertiser.
19
Cover
Scams and You
New South Wales
New Zealand
Queensland
Tasmania
Western Australia
REPORTS
Tess Walsh, National President
From the president
I
t is with a heavy heart that I write this,
my final report, following my recent
announcement to the executive that I
will be stepping down from my role as
president at the 2011 AGM, due to personal
circumstances. I am confident that the
organisation will be in good hands with
the incoming president in what will be an
incredibly exciting period.
I am really pleased to announce that the
Minister for Home Affairs, The Honourable
Brendan O’Connor will be attending the
AGM in Cairns and I expect him to make
a significant announcement which will see
Australasia Neighbourhood Watch well
placed to maintain its leadership role in
community safety and crime prevention for
years to come. Many in the executive team
have worked tirelessly to this point and I
thank them for their efforts and wisdom.
I cannot help but think how very far the
organisation has come in the four years that
I have been involved. Allow me to reflect
on some of our achievements. We are in
our second iteration of our strategic plan.
We have achieved most of what we set
out in our first plan and have again set
ambitious goals in our second. Perhaps the
most significant achievement is that we
have all states, territories and New Zealand
well represented at our executive meetings
which take place every three months,
including our AGM. This was achieved
through our inaugural team who skilfully
encouraged engagement of those who, at
times, may not have shared the vision of
how strong and influential a collective group
representing NHW throughout Australasia
might be.
Some other key achievements include:
• Development of an excellent website
(www.nhwa.com.au) that links into all
jurisdictions and more recently includes
face book and twitter
• Development of a robust Constitution
which provides us great representation
of police and volunteers and ensures
good governance
• Establishment of a secretariat
• Formal acknowledgement and support
of all Police chiefs
• Strategic partner of the Australia and
New Zealand Governments
• Strategic partner of ANZPAA
02 NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH AUSTRALASIA • September 2011
• Distribution of our quarterly magazine
across Australasia
• Development of the Australasian
NHW Awards scheme for police
and volunteers
I am so very proud of the things we have
achieved, never losing sight of how our
actions and ideas support the volunteers.
On a personal note, my gratitude to the
people on the ground is absolute. In each
and every jurisdiction I have visited, it is the
volunteers whom I have been privileged
to meet that maintain my passion for
the organisation and all the great things
it represents.
My personal thanks to the executive
team who have achieved so very much on
behalf of those volunteers – in particular
those that have shared the entire journey Ingrid, Dave, Steve, and Malcolm. I consider
it a privilege to have worked alongside you
and a blessing to have learnt so much from
you. Thank you my friends. I look forward
to my role as Immediate Past President and
will continue to do all I am able to ensure
the success of Neighbourhood Watch
Australasia into the future.
Celebrating 25 years of Neighbourhood Watch
REPORTS
Ingrid Stonhill, Editor
From the editor
Greetings
In this issue we attempt to highlight
the extremes that scammers and con men
will go to for their own gain. It is sad and
upsetting to read about how peoples trust
and vulnerabilities can be preyed upon but
I hope we can all learn from these shared
experiences. I too have been a victim of
a scam. I used my ATM card in the bank
machine outside my own branch on the
Gold Coast. I didn’t see the “reader”
attached to the machine. I was lucky,
because when my bank saw transactions
trying to be completed in the UK they
cancelled my card. I didn’t even know
anything was wrong until I tried to use my
card in the supermarket a few weeks later
and it wouldn’t work. I consider myself very
lucky as I didn’t lose any money. With the sharing of information we can
be better prepared and aware of what to
look for. If you hear of or receive a scam be
sure to report it, as you could save not just
yourself but other people a lot of heartache
and loss. As this edition goes to print we are
preparing for our AGM in the beautiful
sunshine state of Queensland. Now
my home again. We will have lots of
information and exciting updates about that
in our next edition.
Stay Safe
Ingrid
This handbook is the official New South Wales, New Zealand, Northern Territory, South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia Police Citizens Youth Club child
educational guide designed to offer safety information on issues that our children are subjected to on a daily basis. Topics such as drugs, alcohol, sex, leaving school
and eating disorders are covered. The handbook is distributed to year 11 students, Police stations, Blue Light events and other youth organisations free of charge.
For further information, contact Tony Cornish at Countrywide Media on: (03) 9937 0200 or tcornish@cwmedia.com.au
NEIGHBOURHOOD WATCH AUSTRALASIA • September 2011 03
WA Country Health Services
Kimberley Population Health Unit
Phone: (08) 9194 1638
Proudly supporting youth in our local community.
Helping to keep the youth safe and healthy.
NaTIONAL executive
National Executive Committee
Tess Walsh
President
Ursula MacDermott
Public Officer
David Wardrop
Executive Officer
Carey Griffiths
Vice President
Ingrid Stonhill
Secretary
Stephen Batterham
Secretariat
Terry Harbour
Treasurer
Malcolm Grant
Volunteer Representative
(Absent: Malcolm Grant)
Council of Delegates
Mrs Margaret Pearson
Mr Graeme Hush
New South Wales
Superintendent Helen Begg
New Zealand
Mr Roger Eynon
Inspector Carey Griffiths
Northern Territory
Fred Marrone
Queensland
Dominique Lummus
South Australia
Superintendent Ashley Lange
Dennis Obst
Tasmania
Mr Malcolm Grant
Senior Constable Russell Barratt
Victoria
Superintendent Tony de Ridder
Western Australia
Mr Brian Scully
Mr Bernie Durkin
feature story
New round of
scam scratchie
cards in the mail
T
he packages may fraudulently
August 2011: SCAMwatch
mention legitimate travel and
and Carnival Australia
holiday providers such as Princess
are warning Australians
Cruises (part of the Carnival Group).
to beware of a new
the scam works
spate of scam scratchie How
In the current version of the scam Victoria,
cards and travel
South Australia, Queensland and the
Northern Territory are being targeted,
brochures sent in the
however other states may also receive
mail. Every package
the letters.
contains a ‘winning’
Packages commonly contain colourful
travel
brochures and two scratchie cards.
card but when you try
One card will always be a winner. The most
to claim the fake prize
common ‘prize’ being a second prize of
you will be asked to wire US $180,000.
If you call the number provided
transfer thousands.
in the package, the scammer will ask
for fees or taxes to be paid using a wire
transfer service.
Fees for claiming the ‘prize’ are often in
the thousands and if you pay, you will never
receive your promised winnings or see your
money again.
In some rare cases you may be asked to
travel overseas to collect your winnings.
The scammer may also request
bank details and copies or original
photo identification.
The scam package may contain contact
details for a company in Malaysia or Hong
Kong and will also provide a web address
for a fraudulent but professional-looking
travel website.
feature story
About SCAMwatch
SCAMwatch is a website run by the
Australian Competition and Consumer
Commission (ACCC). SCAMwatch
provides information to consumers and
small businesses about how to recognise,
avoid and report scams.
Many scams originate overseas or take
place over the internet, making them very
difficult to track down and prosecute.
If you lose money to a scam, it is unlikely
that you will be able to recover your loss.
The ACCC publishes their website to help
consumers recognise and prevent scams.
The ACCC’s roles extend beyond
preventing scams and include other areas
of consumer protection, infrastructure
regulation, cartels and other forms
of anti‑competitive conduct.
The ACCC also works with state
and territory fair trading agencies and
other government agencies to promote
awareness in the community about
scams. In 2005 the ACCC and these
other agencies formed the Australasian
Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT) to
coordinate this work.
Protect yourself
Be suspicious of any unsolicited letters,
emails or telephone calls offering an
unexpected prize or cash win.
Ask yourself why you have to pay upfront
money for a prize when the sum could be
deducted from your winnings.
NEVER send money or give personal
details to people who contact you out
of the blue, and who you don’t know
and trust.
Always get independent advice if you
are unsure whether an offer or request
is genuine.
Search the company’s name on the
internet as many scams can be identified
this way.
Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the
report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling
1300 795 995.
Information sourced from: Scamwatch Website
PREMIUM
PLANT &
HAULAGE
www.premiumhaulage.com.au
Suite 5/6 Cairns St, Loganholme, QLD, 4129
Ph: 1300 889 704
Proudly Supporting the Local Families, Businesses & The Neighbourhood Watch
“Keeping our streets a much safer place” Crime prevention is better than a cure
Advice for
carers and
care workers
The signs that a person within your care may be the victim of a scam include:
• The person hiding his or her mail.
• Bank transactions for which the person cannot account.
• Toys or gifts of little or no value appearing around the house or being given away as gifts.
• The arrival of overseas mail from unknown sources.
• The arrival of bills or personal letters with incomplete or misspelt names and addresses.
• Demands for payment for work that has clearly not been done.
NHW Australian capital territory
ACT
Conmen use scams
to target elderly
ACT Policing is encouraging elderly community
members to be vigilant about their personal
and home safety after reports of conmen
using various scams to gain entry to homes.
ACT POLICING MEDIA RELEASE
A
CT Policing have received
numerous reports recently
of suspicious behaviour in
Canberra’s inner city suburbs.
The reports are of males offering to fix the
residents plumbing or paint house numbers
on the driveways for an amount of money.
In some instances the males pretend to be
working with police and show documents
with police insignia. The victims targeted
are elderly.
In the first situation the offender will
claim to be a plumber, stating that due to
recent rain the plumbing requires checking.
The offender will enter, check the toilet
by flushing it and informing the elderly
resident that there is a problem and they
can fix it for an amount of money. Once the
money has been handed over the offender
leaves the residence without carrying out
any work.
The second situation is a male offering
to paint house numbers on the curb of
driveways. The offender advises the victim
that he has ‘special’ paint that will not fade
over time, even when the victim already has
painted house numbers. A price is agreed
upon, however if more money is given
the offender claims to have no change or
increases the price if more than one
number is painted.
NHW Australian capital territory
The third situation is a male pretending
to be working with police to gain entry
to the residence. The offender is in plain
clothes, carrying a folder with paperwork
which has a police insignia on it, claiming he
requires a signature from the victim. Upon
entry the offender may assault the victim
before leaving with a sum of money.
Superintendent Kylie Flower from ACT
Policing Crime Prevention team said there are
some home safety precautions the elderly
can take to minimise this happening to them.
“Do not let a person you do not know
into your home,” Superintendent Flower said.
“Talk with them through the security
screen door or open the door with the
security chain still engaged. If you are
expecting a service repairman or similar,
check their identification. If in doubt, call
their head office to verify their details. Use
the number out of the phone book and not
a phone number they provide to you. If the
person is claiming to be a police officer then
ask to see identification. If you are unsure,
then call Police Operations on 131 444”.
“If a person does illegally enter your
home, comply with them if they ask for your
“Take note of the offender’s appearance;
clothing, features, vehicle, registration,
direction of travel and anything you consider
may assist police, although do not put yourself
in danger to get this information.”
wallet or handbag. If you think a neighbour
or passerby will hear then shout or yell and
consider carrying a personal alarm. Take
note of the offender’s appearance; clothing,
features, vehicle, registration, direction of
travel and anything you consider may assist
police, although do not put yourself in
danger to get this information”.
“The most important thing to remember
is that if something should happen to
you, such as a robbery or attack, don’t be
embarrassed. It’s important that you tell
someone who can help you as soon as
possible”, Supt Flower added.
ACT Policing has recently launched its
revised ‘Home and Safety Booklet’. This new
booklet provides community members with
important safety information, including
how to effectively secure your home, what
to do when going away on holiday and
how to protect your personal safety while
out in public. Copies of the booklet can be
obtained online at www.police.act.gov.au
Anyone who observes suspicious activity
in their neighbourhood should contact
ACT Policing Operations on 131 444 or for
further tips on home security, visit the ACT
Policing website at www.police.act.gov.au
Media enquiries
ACT Policing – Media and Marketing
(02) 6256 7460/2010 PR: 4235174/4231874
NHW NEW SOUTH WALES
nsw
SCAMS AND YOU
Scams target people
of all backgrounds,
ages and income
levels across Australia.
If you think you are
‘too smart’ to fall
for a scam, you may
take certain risks that
scammers can take
advantage of, leaving
you with more than
just egg on your face!
T
here are two things required
to make a scam succeed.
Firstly, a scam looks like the
real thing. It appears to meet
your need or desire. Secondly, scammers
manipulate you by ‘pushing your buttons’ to
produce the automatic response they want.
Scammers are not just after your money.
Scams can also be designed to steal your
personal details e.g. credit card/bank
account details, passport details. This is
more commonly known as ‘identity theft’.
Many scams such as card skimming, lottery
scams could not only cost you money but
NHW New South Wales
also result in the misuse of your details
to commit ‘identity fraud’.
Before purchasing anything ON-LINE,
make some basic enquiries to ensure the
company you are dealing with is REAL.
Google the name, check the ABN number.
Most sellers on-line will use PAYPAL. It is
safe, use it. If they request payment be
made by Western Union, it is more than
likely a ‘scam’.
To avoid being a SCAM statistic:
• Change PIN numbers regularly
• Cover they keypad when entering PIN
numbers at ATMs.
• Shred all card receipts and old financial
documentation (including statements);
• Close all unused accounts;
• Never give out personal information over
the phone, mail or internet;
• Never pay in advance for services
• Never respond to an ‘offer’ you don’t
fully understand
• Talk over investments with a second
person before making any decisions
(trusted friend, family members,
financial advisor).
YOU CAN’T WIN SOMETHING YOU
HAVEN’T ENTERED!
If you have been scammed or think
you have seen a scam, there are many
government agencies in Australia that
you can contact for advice or to make
a report. If you are not sure which
agency would be the best one to
contact in your circumstances, contact
SCAM Watch (Australian Competition
& Consumer Commission Info centre)
ph: 1300 795 995.
(Information sourced from NSWPF Fraud
Squad and Australian Competition &
Consumer Commission)
NS NEW ZEALAND
NZ
Scams and identity
theft tips
Scams
Scammers or fraudsters like to exploit
the fact that we like to trust people. We
don’t want to spend our lives thinking ill
of those who we interact with, so how do
we balance that against having a healthy
awareness of what risks are out there?
There are two common scams that this
article discusses: identity theft and scams
involving non-delivery of services.
Identity theft
Identity theft has become an increasingly
common and widespread crime overseas.
It is also on the rise in New Zealand. Identity
theft occurs when a criminal uses another
person’s personal information to take on that
person’s identity. This mainly involves stealing
personal details to commit theft or fraud.
Theft of your personal information takes
many forms, from stealing your wallet to
intercepting your mail. Once the thief has
successfully assumed your identity there are
many things they can do with it, from buying
and using a mobile phone to writing cheques
and opening a credit card account in your name.
Identity theft can ruin your good name
and credit rating, which can be very timeconsuming and expensive to rectify. Any
bank card or documentation carrying
personal details such as a bank statement,
power or phone bill can be used to obtain
and assume someone else’s identity.
The following tips provide practical advice
for reducing the opportunity of identity theft.
1. Keep your personal information secure
(see the fact sheets on cheque, credit
and Eftpos card fraud)
2. Order a copy of your credit report at
least once a year and check it carefully
3. Restrict the number of people you share
personal information with either in
person, over the phone or online
4. Shred or burn bank and credit card
statements and other items with
personal information before putting
them out with the rubbish
5. Put a lock on your letterbox
6. Check you are receiving credit card
statements or bills regularly and on
time (someone may have changed your
address details)
7. If providing personal information, ask
why it’s needed, how it will be used
and how it will be kept safe. NEVER
give anyone your PIN (personal identity
number), even if it seems to be the bank
calling. Bank staff will never ask you for
your PIN number, and you should never
write it down.
8. Only make telephone transactions when
you have instigated the call and are
familiar with the company
9. Online Internet trading and e-mail scams
are also common ways of obtaining
bank account or credit card details for
fraudulent means, so
a) Know who you’re dealing with online.
Check the website you order from
has a physical address, phone and fax
number. Make a note of all details,
including the company’s name and
Internet address, amounts to be
charged, shipping costs, and the
time and date you placed the order
NS NEW ZEALAND
b) A secure server is usually used to send
confidential information across the
Internet. This information is encrypted
and can only be decoded by the host
site that requested it. Secure sites
generally advertise this fact and provide
information about the security of their
server. Sending personal identity
information over the Internet to an
insecure server is not recommended
c) Use virus protection software, install
a firewall programme or password
protect personal documents on
your computer
d) If you are not confident with a
computer, avoid shopping on line
unless you have had some training
or support from someone who
knows about security issues
e) Delete personal information if
you dispose of your computer.
Deleted files are easily recovered
f) Avoid using publicly accessible
computers for online transactions.
There have been instances in New
Zealand of people installing keystroke
recording software, returning to the
computer after it has been used and
retrieving other people’s access codes,
personal and account information
g) Never create access codes with
numbers that may be easily
discoverable, such as your phone
number or car registration
h) Change access codes frequently
and delete them when no
longer required.
i) If you get an email you are suspicious
about, often a Google search on a
section of the text will show up if it
is a hoax email.
10.If you believe you are a victim of identity
theft, contact your bank or credit
card provider immediately and explain
the circumstances. You should also
notify police.
11.To minimise the risk of identity theft,
remember to manage your personal
information wisely and cautiously.
Non-delivery of services
Some unscrupulous types will turn up at the
door of people they perceive to be more
vulnerable, such as the elderly, offering
household services, frequently wanting
payment up front, and then failing to deliver
on the service leaving you out of pocket.
Examples may include:
1. Wanting to seal or fix your roof or
driveway right now.
2. Wanting to inspect your air-conditioning
system.
3. Unable to provide you with legitimate
references.
4. Insisting that you pay them before the
work begins.
5. Saying they have supplies left from
a previous job and will offer you
a discount.
Before making any decisions, contact a
friend or family member for advice. Look
in your phone book or on line for evidence
that the company is legitimate. Don’t be
pressured into making a decision on the
spot and don’t pay up front for a service
that you haven’t received.
Remember the basic principles:
• If something seems too good to be true,
it probably is!
• Successful fraudsters and scammers
look and sound absolutely legitimate.
That’s why they are successful.
Resources:
New Zealand Police have a lot of
information about crime prevention
generally at: http://www.police.govt.nz/
guide-crime-prevention
The Australian Commerce and Competition
Commission has a website publication called
“The Little Black Book of Scams”.
http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.
phtml/tag/TheLittleBlackBookOfScams08
Neighbourhood Support has a fact sheet on
identity theft
http://www.ns.org.nz/15.html
The Commerce commission has a scam
information site:
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/scamnews/scam-alerts
NS NEW ZEALAND
Some fraud
examples
seen by New
Zealand
Police:
A
n elderly woman in her 90s lost over $10,000 to a man
who pretended to be a fraud detective and asked her for
her bank account details and PIN number;
In 2001, an Auckland company director conned about
30 people into investing in a defunct Australian company, effectively
taking from them $2.8 million;
Scammers saying that the recipient has won an international lottery or
to help transfer money into their account have taken money off people;
Scammers who are phoning offering super cheap holidays to
Australia, offering $99 flights to Australia including accommodation
and gift vouchers and asking for credit card information.
A couple were tricked into giving $30,000 to Internet fraudsters
and are unlikely to get their money back:
• they received an email from a person claiming to be a British
solicitor, who said they had inherited 10 million pounds sterling more than $25 million
• they had a distant male relative in Europe, and since this relative
had no other living relations, the claim seemed credible
• they had phone conversations with people they thought were
solicitors over the next two weeks, and received what they
believed was a death notice and legal documents about their
inheritance. The couple were told an account had been set up for
them with an American bank, and that the money was in it
• they were given a phone number for the bank, to call and confirm
their account number, security access number and Pin number,
they did call to confirm this information
• they were then asked to deposit 55,000 pounds sterling into the
account, to cover the legal costs the solicitor had already incurred
• they paid $30,000 into the account, and then tried to borrow
more from their own bank. When the bank refused, they sought
legal advice and were alerted to the scam.
There are hit-man scams, advertising scams, psychic scams the list goes on. If someone can dream it up, they will try it on. In
fact, there was even a scam involving someone who purported
to be from Neighbourhood Support, trying to sell advertising for
a fictitious magazine.
Again - if it seems too good to be true, it probably is!
NS NEW ZEALAND
tools to fight scams
Roger Eynon, National Manager, Neighbourhood Support New Zealand
Scams
Common Types of Scam (Ouch!) Passing on bad news
You’ll be glad to know that New Zealand is
not immune to Scams. Hard to trace, hard
to stop - but we can be our own worst
enemies by perpetuating the myth.
I regularly get emails relating to new, old
or even non-existent Scams. It’s good that
these are sent to me as it demonstrates that
Neighbourhood Support recognises that we
are all a cog in a bigger machine.
However, what happens next?
In New Zealand, approximately 3000
scams are reported a year.
Rental market Scams seem to be fashionable at
the moment. Half of the victims of this Scam in
New Zealand are of Asian descent or origin.
Other common Scams involve:
• Dating
• Holidays
• Up Front Money (getting a good deal
for early payment)
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/
scams/scam-types
There are variations on the Up Front Money
Scam but essentially it means you part with
your money before having an equal chance
of receiving the goods. An overpaid advance
payment to the victim that relies on a refund of
reliable funds is the flip-side of this technique.
It’s interesting how judgment can be
swayed by the chance of a bargain or the
deal of a lifetime.
Here in New Zealand, a relatively well
known and respected former high ranking
civil servant traveled to meet a love interest
that she met on the internet. She traveled
to finally meet face to face and to put some
flesh on the virtual hunk. Unfortunately,
she came back with a little more than that,
namely (and allegedly) 5kg of cocaine and
was detained in Argentina. The reason she
had the package was that she was doing her
future partner a favour by picking up a large
package of documents and acting as courier.
Scam Awareness - Department
of Consumer Affairs
In April of this year, the Department of
Consumer Affairs held its Scam Awareness
Week (April 4-10). It was a concerted and well
supported highlighting of an accepted problem.
Apparently 15% of New Zealanders have
been scammed or tricked out of money. Those
who are victims represent every side of society
- professional, student, immigrant etc. There is
no “type”. All walks of society are susceptible.
A Scam consists of 3 elements:
• A Hook
• Money/Financial Reward
• The Sting
The Hook may be believable (too good to
be true?) but caution should be taken when
cash or payment is requested. This is the time to
pull the plug! The Sting is when you have parted
with your cash or possession. It may be too
late to retrieve the situation but be aware of:
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz
Go to this website and choose
SCAMwatch as your option. There’s lots of
information and instruction on how to report
a Scam. Case studies, agency contacts and
tips for protection are all there and whilst I
appreciate Neighbourhood Support people
feel they may be well aware of risks - others
aren’t. It’s good to have information to hand.
http://www.consumeraffairs.govt.nz/
scams/protect-yourself
When reported in the right way, bogus
websites, for example, can be taken down
as quickly as within 11 minutes.
International Payments
(wired payments)
Western Union recognises the problem of
Scams. Their representatives are trained to
ask whether the payment is in response to an
internet sale or if the beneficiary is personally
known to the sender. They will then discuss
the risks if the former is the answer.
It is useful to know that some scammers
will suggest that if you answer the latter,
then the cost for sending the payment is up
to 3% cheaper. This, of course, is not true
but is another cost related inducement to
execute the Sting.
If it sounds too good to be true – then it
usually is.
Its human nature - we all like to do it but
its not good practice. If you decide a Scam
warning should be passed on - make sure
you are sure of its authenticity. No point
getting your knickers in a twist over a
joke scam.
Go to: http://www.hoax-slayer.com
Simply copy and paste the content of the
Scam email or key words from a letter or
similar and this site will throw up matches,
if not the exact Scam you are looking at.
I’ve used it for work purposes and have
nipped a few anxious emails in the bud.
Fancy having a pop back at the
Scammers, how about “Scamming the
Scammers”?
Try this: http://www.419eater.com
I warn you - acceptance of bad language
and a sense of humour are required.
However, imagine what it must be like to be
a scammer and then realise you have been
scammed yourself. Priceless!
Neighbourhood Support New Zealand
is fortunate to have a number of tenacious
anti-scammers. Take New Plymouth for
example. They have long thwarted a chap
who uses the tried and tested “pro forma
scam”. This is the one where a random
fax is sent to businesses that states that
a payment is owed due to contractually
agreed advertising being carried out.
You’ll be none too surprised that there
has been a reasonable level of success
by doing this. Neighbourhood Support
in New Plymouth have been relentless in
pursuing this Scammer in their local press,
highlighting whenever this was known to
occur and gaining ever more expanding
column inches to further promote its
existence across New Zealand.
The benefit of this is that they receive
telephone calls from around the country
asking for further details if it appears
this chap is at it again. These articles are
accessible via the NSNZ website or by a
simple Google search and the detail and
comment is there for all to see and digest.
Simple and practical but it works.
NHW QUEENSLAND
QLD
International
agencies join forces
to fight fraud
Advance Fee Fraud scams, mostly originating from Nigeria and other West
African countries such as Ghana, are defrauding Queenslanders out of
hundreds of thousands of dollars every month.
Sarah Mayes, State Crime Operations Command Research Unit
Police Bulletin October 2010, courtesy of QPS Media
F
rom January to May 2010, more
3,000 Queenslanders sent more
than $4 million to Nigeria and
Ghana through scams. Many
victims are left financially destitute.
Financial advance fee scams lure a
person into advancing money with the
false promise of a large sum, inheritance
or property to be claimed. Romance
scams make up a significant proportion
and are aggressive in nature, targeting
the emotional vulnerabilities of the victim.
In a recent example, a 56-year-old Gold
Coast woman was defrauded of more
than $40,000 by a 25-year-old Nigerian
university student who posed as a 57-yearold widower from Britain. The student lured
the woman into a friendship before conning
her into sending money for medical and
travel costs.
The State Crime Operations Command’s
Fraud and Corporate Crime Group (FCCG)
investigated after the woman reported the
scam to police in 2007. In March last year,
the man was found guilty by a Nigerian
Court and sentenced to 19 years in jail. The
investigations did not stop at the conviction;
the Nigerian Economic and Financial Crime
Commission (EFCC) managed to recover
some of the funds and reimburse the
victim $10,000.
Detective Superintendent Brian
Hay of the FCCG said the arrest was
an example of the benefits of the law
enforcement agencies across the globe
“Romance scams make up a significant
proportion and are aggressive in nature,
targeting the emotional vulnerabilities of
the victim.”
working together to prevent and solve
these crimes.
“International partnerships are a vital
tool for modern law enforcement, especially
within the fraud environment, and the
efforts made to build healthy relationships
with countries such as Nigeria are now
resulting in significant rewards,” Detective
Superintendent Hay said.
While the responsibility for investigating
cases of advance fee fraud lies with the
country in which the offender resides,
the FCCG is doing all it can to reduce
the number of Australians becoming
victims. The group has established an
online reporting system, aimed at assisting
victims and streamlining the process
for police.
A world first, the web-based system
allows victims to report crimes of this
nature directly online and is available to
all Australian residents. This ‘portal’ then
directs the matter to the country where
the offender is suspected of residing, such
as Nigeria or Ghana. The Nigerian High
Commission fully supports the initiative
and provides a link on its website.
“Quite often we find that victims are
extremely embarrassed when the realise they
have become a victim. We hope this system
will alleviate some of the embarrassment by
providing a non-confrontational method of
reporting in a user-friendly environment,”
Detective Superintendent Hay said.
The Advance Fee Fraud online reporting
system can be found on the Queensland
Police Service website www.police.qld.
gov.au/programs/crimePrevention/
eCrime/scams/Nigerian_Scams.htm.
To increase public awareness, the
International Mass Marketing Fraud Working
Group declared June 1, 2010, a global day
of action against advance fee fraud, urging
the public and law enforcement agencies
around the world to think about fraud and
act to prevent and defeat it.
In response, Queensland police called
on the state to ‘dob in a hacker’ to help
reduce advance fee fraud scams. For a
week commencing June 1, the FCCG urged
Queenslanders to call Crime Stoppers if they
knew anyone who might be involved in this
type of crime, or to report any known scams
via the online portal.
NHW QUEENSLAND
Senior citizens cry SOS
for online safety support
Sergeant David Beard, Carindale PCYC and Kate Stephens, Media and Publuc Affairs Branch
Police Bulletin October 2010, courtesy of QPS Media
S
enior citizens are surfing the
web with confidence and, most
importantly, with safety thanks
to a program launched in the
Metropolitan South Region by the Carindale
Police Citizens Youth Club (PCYC).
The project was initiated after members
of the Carina Senior Citizens Club expressed
concern over their members falling victim
to scammers on the internet, to the extent
that they were no longer confident to
use computers.
Statistics show that out of all the crimes
perpetrated against seniors, consumer fraud
is the largest category recorded, which
incorporates online fraud. While not exclusively
the victims of online fraud, the impact can be
particularly devastating to seniors as they do
not have the ability to recover superannuation
or life savings lost to scammers.
To address these issues, the Carindale
PCYC sought funding from the QPS
Community Crime Prevention Fund along
with the skills and knowledge of police and
community professionals.
Detective Senior Constable Graeme Edwards
of the QPS Fraud and Corporate Crime Group,
Dr Cassandra Cross of the QPS Community
Safety and Crime Prevention Branch, Melissa
Clarke, Manager of Westpac Carindale, and
Chris Moffat, Director of SuperGeek, joined
forces to develop a three-hour information
session titled Seniors Online Security, or SOS.
Each speaker drew on their expertise to
address the areas of online scams, seniors
victimisation, internet banking and the
importance of virus protection software
on computers.
Sergeant David Beard, Manager of the
Carindale PCYC, said the sessions aimed
to educate seniors on the use of online
technology and prevent victimisation from
occurring in the first place.
“Many seniors do not have a high level
of understanding about technologies such
as the internet, and therefore do not have
appropriate strategies in place to minimise
Photo by Donna Kerr, Carindale PCYC
From left: Carindale PCYC Branch Manager Sergeant David Beard and presenters Melissa
Clarke, Manager of Westpac Carindale, Dr Cassandra Cross of the QPS Community
Safety and Crime Prevention Branch, and Chris Moffat, Director of SuperGeek, delivered
an information session titled Seniors Online Security. Not pictured is presenter Detective
Senior Constable Graeme Edwards, of the QPS Fraud and Corporate Crime Group.
the risk of becoming a victim of fraud,”
Sergeant Beard said.
In the SOS sessions, seniors are provided with
educational material on the use of the internet
for everyday tasks, such as banking and email.
They are also given simple strategies to reduce
their likelihood of online victimisation, such as
deleting emails from unknown recipients and
the dangers of opening email attachments.
Most importantly, the seminars provide seniors
with a point of contact should they have
questions or need to report future victimisation.
The SOS sessions were promoted through
the Carindale PCYC’s networks as well as
being advertised in local Quest newspapers.
More than 80 local seniors attended the initial
three sessions, and as a result, an additional
seminar was delivered in Greenslopes
electorate, sponsored by local member and
State Attorney General Cameron Dick.
The Mackay Crime Prevention Unit also
replicated the SOS seminar for local seniors
as part of National Seniors Week 2010.
The positive feedback received from all
the participants has identified a need to make
information about online security more readily
available to seniors. The Carindale PCYC has
since been successful awarded and an $85,000
grant under the Commonwealth Government’s
Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 Funding Scheme
to develop further training materials.
“The SOS project has been a great
opportunity for the Carindale PCYC to
show their value within the community by
delivering crime prevention projects to senior
citizens while maintaining its core objectives
of delivering affordable programs for youth,”
Sergeant Beard said.
“I look forward to continuing this important
project through the funding we have received.”
NHW TASMANIA
TAS
BEWARE OF SCAMS
What is a scam? The free online dictionary defines a scam as,
“A fraudulent business scheme; a swindle.”
S
cams cheat people out of their
money. These ‘rorts’ or ‘rip-offs’
come in many forms or disguises
such as emails asking you to verify
your bank details; or a letter or email asking
for your help in transferring money out of
another country, for example the Nigerian
Mail Fraud. These scams may also take the
form of a phone call with an offer too good
to refuse. Always ask the question,” If it
sounds so good then why are they offering
it to me?”
The best advice in dealing with these
matters comes from Consumer Affairs and
Fair Trading who recommend:
• Delete the email.
• Destroy the letter.
• Hang up the phone.
More information is available from ‘The
Little Black Book of Scams; A Consumer’s
Guide to Scams, Swindles, Rorts and Rip
Offs’ Published by the Dept of the Treasury,
Langton Crescent, Parkes, ACT 2600 and
available online.
Door to Door Selling
Checklist
The direct selling of goods is governed
in Tasmania by the Door-to-Door Trading
Act 1986:
• If goods or services are purchased from
a door-to-door salesperson legislation
provides a cooling-off period which
allows ten days for a person to consider
the purchase. The goods or services
sold must be of the value of $50
or more
• NEVER provide details of credit cards
or other financial information to
unknown callers.
The Consumer Affairs and Fair Trading
provide a checklist for door-to-door
sales. To ensure the salesperson has
complied with the legislation you should
consider carefully the points listed on
the following:
Did the salesperson:
• introduce themselves by name?
• give the name of the business?
• tell you what they are selling?
• tell you how to cancel the contract?
• inform you that work cannot begin
or money change hands before the
cooling-off period has expired?
• give you a chance to decide for yourself?
• help you and not use any pressure to
encourage you to sign the contract?
If the answer to any question is no, it is
important that you contact Consumer
Affairs and Fair Trading on their Consumer
Advice Line 1300 654 499.
Further information on this subject and
many others, is available from Consumer
Affairs and Fair Trading on their web site:
www.consumer.tas.gov.au
Collections for Charities
In Tasmania, laws apply to any person who
solicits money for a charitable purpose from
the public:
• Collectors must wear identity cards
showing their name, their organisation
and the location of the principal office
• Collectors can telephone residential
numbers to collect donations only
between 9am and 8pm
• Children under the age of 15 years must
be under the immediate control and/or
supervision of an adult. Further detail is
available from Consumer Affairs and Fair
Trading on 1300 654 499.
NHW TASMANIA
Identity Fraud
Identity fraud refers to a person creating
a new identity or taking the identity of
another person. Identity information can
be obtained from documents such as driver
licence, accounts (e.g. Aurora) and bank
statements. These documents are then
used to open bank or store accounts in your
name or obtain items such as credit cards
and even passports. This action may see
expensive items purchased in your name
with the cost charged to you.
You can take these steps to minimise
the risk:
• Don’t give out personal information on
the telephone, through the mail or on
the internet unless you’ve initiated the
contact and you are sure who you are
communicating with
• Identity thieves are clever and will
pose as representatives of banks
or financial institutions and even
government agencies
• Ask about security measures in place
at your workplace or business premises
such as your doctor’s surgery. Find out
who has access to your information
• It is not uncommon for thieves to pick
through your garbage or recycling bins
to gain your personal information.
All documentation that contains
personal information should be
shredded or at the least, torn up before
careful disposal. Documents such as
bank statements, credit card statements,
insurance forms and credit applications
and expired credit/ charge cards are
likely targets
• Carry only the cards that you need
when you go out
• Be very cautious when responding to
promotions as these may be scams to
gain your personal details
• Always keep your personal
documentation safe and never leave it
where others may gain access
• Be alert to scams circulating via the
internet and telephone.
• Take great care in disposing of rubbish.
Consider shredding documents
containing credit card numbers.
(Information courtesy of the Personal
Safety Handbook available online at
www.taspolice.com.au)
Mitchell
Aluminium
Rocklands Drive,
Tiwi, NT, 0810
Telephone:
(08) 8920 6011
Unit 3 / 37 Dacre Street, Mitchell, ACT
Ph: (02) 6241 6332
Email: sales@mitchellaluminium.com.au
Proudly supporting the Neighborhood Watch
with our crime prevention strategies.
Helping to keep crime down our local community.
www.neverforgotten.com.au
Don’t let your memories and
experiences be forgotten, leave
them behind for family and friends,
or setup a scrapbook or just store
photos and documents safely.
Australian
Maritime
& Fisheries
Academy
Fishing Industry House
North Pde, Port Adelaide,
SA, 5015
Ph: (08) 8303 2780
Proudly supporting our Local Neighbourhood
Watch Volunteers, Helping Create Safer
Communities for All
Proudly supporting our local
Neighbourhood Watch Volunteers
“Creating Safer Communities”
NHW WESTERN AUSTRALIA
WA
Bunbury pensioner
scammed of life savings
A Bunbury pensioner has lost her life savings after becoming a victim
of an overseas scam, sending a total of $57,000.
80
year old Edna Sloan
received a call from the
scammers, claiming that she
was the recipient of a grant
of $7,000 from the Australian Tax Office,
but she needed to send them $200 by wire
transfer to access the grant.
After Ms Sloan sent the initial amount,
further requests for money came and the
amount of the grant increased until Ms
Sloan had sent by wire transfer a total of
$57,000 in numerous payments to India
over a five week period. She took out a
bank loan for $15,000 when her life savings
had been withdrawn.
Ms Sloan was given a phone number in
Melbourne and Sydney to call to find out
when her cheque would be arriving to give
the scam an impression of authenticity.
The fraudsters urged the pensioner not to
tell her family as “it would be a nice surprise for
them when she eventually got her cheque”.
Acting Commissioner for Consumer
Protection Gary Newcombe said this is a
particularly sad case where a pensioner’s
innocent trust has been betrayed.
“These heartless cyber criminals
look for easy targets and often prey on
vulnerable members of our community,”
Mr Newcombe said.
In the past year, Consumer Protection
has received more than a thousand reports
from WA consumers who have received
calls from scammers claiming to be from
banks, the Australian Tax Office, other
government departments, organisations and
various lotteries around the world. They are
told that there is a large amount of money
waiting for them because they have been
overcharged with their bank fees, have tax
refunds waiting to be collected, have won
a prize from a lottery they haven’t entered,
Scam victim Edna Sloan of Bunbury.
are recipients of an inheritance or are
entitled to some form of funding.
“The catch is that they ask for a smaller
amount of money in fees which needs to be
sent first before the larger amount can be
released. This should be a warning to those
who have been contacted that this is a
scam, which we refer to as an advanced fee
fraud,” Mr Newcombe said.
“No bank, organisation or government
department will ask for money to be sent
up front, particularly by wire transfer, before
sending you funds that you are legitimately
entitled to. Sending money by wire transfer
to people you don’t know is very hazardous
as, once it is collected, it can’t be recovered
or traced.
“The cyber criminals use fake websites,
bogus emails and send professionallooking documents to make these scams
look authentic. They also try to collect
personal information in order to access
your bank accounts. Consumers need
to guard their personal information
closely, change passwords regularly and
prevent becoming victims of identity fraud
and scams.”
Consumers who believe they may
be the target of a scam, should contact
WA ScamNet at Consumer Protection on
1300 30 40 54 or consumer@commerce.
wa.gov.au before sending any money.
More information on scams can be sourced
at www.commerce.wa.gov.au/wascamnet
NHW WESTERN AUSTRALIA
Perth widow loses
$600,000 in elaborate
romance scam
A Perth widow has lost over $600,000 in an elaborate romance scam
involving overseas fraudsters, prompting the Commissioner for Consumer
Protection to issue a formal warning.
M
ichelle Couzner, who has two
children aged 16 and 17, is now
homeless, jobless, without a
car and has filed for bankruptcy
after meeting a man on a dating website, in
November 2009. Her husband died 11 years
ago and she went online in search of a partner.
The man she met online told her that he
was of Greek origin and living in Maine USA
with business interests in West Africa. The
man then began calling his victim almost
every day and, after chatting with her for
a month, invited her to invest in an oil
export project in the vicinity of the Nigerian/
Cameroon border.
Over a 12-month period, Ms Couzner
sent large amounts of money to bank
accounts in Singapore and California as well
as wire transfers through Western Union,
lured by promises of a generous return on
her investment. She was sent numerous
fake documents and certificates supposedly
from lawyers and accountants in the US and
Nigeria to support their claims. Plans for the
man to visit Australia were cancelled at the
last minute for a variety of reasons.
To finance this supposed business
venture, the victim borrowed against her
Redcliffe home and an investment property
in Swan View, both of which she was
eventually forced to sell. She also borrowed
money from family and friends before
coming to the realisation that she had been
thoroughly and professionally scammed.
“I was lonely and the kids are grown
up now so I thought I could have a man to
grow old with,” Ms Couzner said. “It was
like Christopher hypnotised me into a false
sense of a dream of what could be possible.
I am back to reality now and I want my life
and home back.”
Commissioner for Consumer Protection
Anne Driscoll warned other women who may
be dealing with fraudsters on dating websites.
“Romance scams target vulnerable
people and the fraudsters build up trust
and use fake documents and websites to
support their claims,” Ms Driscoll said.
“The person perpetrating this scam is a
professional conman. There is no sense of
remorse as he has cold heartedly groomed
his victim with regular telephone calls and
promises that have convinced her to send
money overseas.
“People searching for partners online
should never entertain business propositions
or send money to people they have never
met in person or don’t know they can trust.
Protect your identity and personal details
and don’t be blinded by love. At the very
least get some independent financial advice
if you do not want to confide in family
or friends.
“Consumer Protection receives numerous
reports from victims of romance scams
who have lost thousands of dollars and the
emotional and financial effects from their
experience are often quite devastating.”
The woman’s complaint to WA ScamNet
at Consumer Protection has also been
reported to the WA Police for further
investigation.
The Australian Competition and
Consumer Commission (ACCC) has
estimated that money lost by Australians
in romance scams totalled $6.5 million in
2009. In WA, it’s estimated romance fraud
has cost almost $1 million so far this year,
including this latest scam.
WA ScamNet has got more information
and advice about romance scams at
www.commerce.wa.gov.au/wascamnet
Blue Light brings police and youth together
to provide young people with positive lifestyle
alternatives and strategies to avoid becoming an offender or
victim of crime. Visit www.bluelight.com.au for more info.
The underlying factors governing
all Blue Light activities is that
they must be:
• Free from alcohol
• Free from violence
• Free from objectional behaviour
• Free from drugs
• and FUN!
We do more than just dance

Volume 6 – (Issue 3) NHWA Journal September 2011

Transcription

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