Australians Lose $93.4m to Online Scammers during 2012, Reports ACCC
ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission), which supervises consumers affairs in Australia, has reported that Internet scammers' deceptive schemes are still affecting people in the country leading to $93.4m in losses during 2012, published computerworld.com.au dated June 17, 2013.
In its new report titled "Targeting Scams," the ACCC has discovered a 9% rise in scam losses since 2011. Nevertheless, according to the Commission, real losses may be far greater since numerous scams remain unknown.
Continuing into the 4th consecutive year, 2012 witnessed reports of up-front or advance fee demanded fraudulent e-mails the maximum number of times, accounting for 32% of the total documented scams.
Specifically, according to Delia Rickard, Deputy Chair of ACCC, one may receive an e-mail from nowhere informing him that he's the inheritor of $1m that certain aunt lost since long in USA has left behind for him, however, he must pay a so-called cash amount for retrieving it. Abc.net.au published this in news on June 17, 2013.
ACCC notes that PC hacking accounted for 13 percent of the frauds, and that the PC-virus namely Microsoft Event Viewer kept on attacking the Aussies. Moreover, one scareware campaign too targeted the general public, with the criminals masquerading as AFP.
Internet-based marketing frauds increased 65%, accounting for an aggregate loss of $4m, while an 88% of Aussies that informed the ACCC about monetary losses said that the loss ranged within $100-$500.
Enterprises too could be losers of considerable revenue due to scammers' operations via becoming direct victims alternatively via becoming indirect victims where fraudsters masquerade them within spam or phishing e-mail scams. Their losses could also be in costs related to currently existing security or monitoring upgrades.
Elsewhere, Rickard stated that scammers kept on devising refined techniques for unleashing scams, exploiting fresh communication systems and technologies towards attempting at evading detection. Smartcompany.com.au published this in news on June 17, 2013.
Rickard added that in the present time, one became a victim of fraud through simply one click of the mouse, therefore, it was vital unlike ever-before for practicing safe methods while interacting, whether over phone, Internet, at home or in office.
ยป SPAMfighter News - 7/2/2013
