Behind the mask: Unveiling the top trending scams and what’s new

Discounted Electricity Bill Scam

Have you heard of Benefit Deal and are they offering you an unbelievable price for your electricity?

Don’t believe it, it’s a scam.  IDCARE’s  National Case Management Centre has been dealing with several clients who’ve had their identity compromised as a result of phishing calls that start with someone pretending to be from Benefit Deal.

There is no benefit in this deal. It also appears the scammers are spoofing legitimate business numbers to get through to unsuspecting people.

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Puppy Scams, a new bone of contention?

Despite the media attention after former AFL player Andrew Leoncelli lost nearly $3000 in a puppy scam, people are still being caught out.

In October, 17% of online buying scams reported to IDCARE’s National Case Management Centre involved puppies and kittens.  And 7% of these scams involved someone in the “military”.  

With Christmas coming, there is a likelihood the number of these scams will increase.

If you can’t buy a puppy from a shelter, research the breeder thoroughly.

WA Scam Net has put together a list of some of the puppy scam sites that have been detected and should be avoided.

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US$400,000 lost in 10 days. Celebrity investment scams remain popular

People continue to be lured into investment scams, particularly those which appear to be endorsed by a celebrity.

IDCARE’s analysts noted in a 10 day period in October, our clients indicated a loss of over US$400,000.

Initial investments were usually US$250, but could be as high as US$200,000.

Don’t trust an investment opportunity because it appears to be endorsed by a celebrity!  

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The Mystery Shopper Scam

Who wouldn’t love to be paid to do shopping and critique the shops while they’re at it?

But be careful if you get a cold call offering you an employment opportunity in this line of work.

We’ve noticed an increase in the number of people receiving a cold call from an individual who is offering training regarding “mystery shopping”.

And to sweeten the deal, participants are offered a $50 gift card as a  reward.  

However, the person is asked to disclose personal information about their financial institution to be considered for employment.  

One of the known phone numbers used in this scam is 02 8073 4120, which had at least 23 complaints against it in October. 

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The IDCARE Scam

This is a hard one to write about as it is so close to home!  Scammers have begun impersonating IDCARE and using our good name to gain the trust of unsuspecting people and persuade them to allow remote access to their computer.

Here’s what we know  

The scammer claims to be from IDCARE and the person has been hacked and should allow them remote access to check their computer and also to set up an elaborate “sting”.

The scammer, who has used names like Ashton, Alex and Max Webber, will even send links to our webpage to prove their legitimacy.

Here's what you need to know

IDCARE will never cold call you or send an unsolicited text or email and ask you to provide remote access, provide a copy of your driver licence or establish a cryptocurrency account. 

We will also never ask you to participate in a “sting” or work with IDCARE to catch criminals on behalf of law enforcement.

For full details of this scam, what’s involved and how we are treating it, visit our article on the scam.