How To Stop Scams In Their Tracks

Scam Awareness Week 2022

This Scams Awareness Week (7 - 11 November 2022), we’re encouraging our network to invest in education to give their employees the tools and know-how they need to identify and report scams.

In 2021 Australians made more than 286,600 reports to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC's) Scamwatch and reported losses of around $324 million. At the end of August this year, Australians had reported losses of over $381 million.

With recent widescale cyber attacks such as the Optus and Medibank data breaches, we take this opportunity to provide a timely reminder of how you can stop scams in their tracks and protect your business.

1. Educate your employees (and yourself!)

It is important that your employees understand the part they play in protecting your organisation and clients’ data. Unfortunately, scams are not only targeting personal information but business information and systems too. Therefore, ensuring your employees have the education and tools they need in order to identify and appropriately respond to scams is paramount.

Cyber security awareness training for all levels of employees (your human firewall) is every bit as important as the other means of protection, including software, hardware and physical security practices and ensures you and your employees are comprehensively aware of cyber threats, the associated risks, and how to minimise and/or manage them appropriately.

2. Utilise free resources

The Australian Government and relevant bodies provide a range of fantastic resources to support both individuals and businesses in the fight against cyber security threats.

Scamwatch is run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and provides information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report scams. They produce a range of publications, reports and guidelines designed to assist consumers, small businesses and the industry in understanding and preventing harm from scams.

Helpful resources include:

3. Stay up to date with current scams

Signing up to reputable sources of information is a simple way to ensure that your knowledge of current and emerging scam threats, such as the "Hi Mum" or COVID-19 Vaccination scams also stays current.

Scamwatch radar provides an email subscription service for email alerts on the latest scams, which you can then in turn share with your employees.

4. Take action if you think you have been scammed

Unfortunately, if you've lost money to a scam or given out your personal details to a scammer, Scam Watch advises that you're unlikely to get your money back. However, there are steps you can take straight away to limit the damage and protect yourself from further loss.

If the scam has targeted a business account, report your concern to your IT team or Technology Partner immediately.
Regardless of if the scam has targeted your personal or business accounts or information, report the scam to the ACCC via the Report a scam page.
Contact all relevant parties and let them know you have fallen victim to a scam, including family and friends and banking institutions if applicable.
Change your online passwords immediately.
Review the Scamwatch page on where to get further support.

How can Diamond IT support you this Scams Awareness Week?

If you want to educate your employees on how to identify potential cyber threats such as scams, our staff education programs and policy and procedure reviews can help. Our Business Technology Consultants are specialists in improving your internal cyber security.

We offer:

If you need advice on how you can ensure your cyber security strategy is fit for purpose, our team of Cyber Security experts are ready to help. Contact our team on 1300 307 907 today.