The ACNC is sounding the alarm on fake charity scams as Scams Awareness Week (August 26-30) begins today.
According to the latest Scamwatch data, nearly 360 reports of such scams have been received in 2024 so far.
This year’s theme, “Share a story, stop a scam,” highlights the power of word-of-mouth in the fight against scams. By sharing your scam story using the hashtag #ShareAScamStory, you can help others spot, avoid and report scams.
Scammers often prey on the generosity of Australians, especially during natural disasters, by impersonating charities. To ensure your donations go to legitimate causes, always check our Charity Register before donating.
To avoid being scammed, the ACNC recommends these simple precautions:
- Don’t click on links in text messages, emails or social media posts.
- Never disclose personal information or banking details to unknown callers.
- Instead, go to the Charity Register.
- Find contact information on the Register, such as its website.
- Donate directly to the charity using the methods given on its website.
Key Statistics:
Between 1 Jan and 21 August:
- Scamwatch received 358 reports of fake charity scams, with losses of over $107,000 to charity scams.
- The most common contact mode was phone (117 reports), social networking/online forums (31 reports) and email (93 reports).
- People aged 65 and over reported the highest total losses ($45,700), followed by people aged 55-64 ($20,103) and 25-34 ($19,318).
Scams are under-reported and these figures likely under-represent actual incidence.
- If you’ve been the victim of a scam or are suspicious of a donation request, report it to Scamwatch. Your reports help the National Anti-Scam Centre warn others about current scams, monitor trends, and disrupt scams where possible.
Charities also need to be vigilant and should review and upgrade cyber security measures to avoid becoming an “easy target” for cyber criminals. Our podcast explores the measures charities can take to stay cyber safe.
See also our cybersecurity guidance, developed in collaboration with the Australian Cyber Security Centre.