Crime Stoppers Victoria is calling on residents of Sunbury and the Macedon Ranges to protect themselves from scams.
With November 8 to 12 marking Scams Awareness Week, Crime Stoppers Victoria has launched its ‘Let’s Talk Scams’ campaign, with a focus on preventing financial scams.
According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch, Australians have lost more than $114 million so far this year.
The data indicates that those aged 65 and over were scammed most frequently.
Scamming occurred most regularly over the phone, with more than $7.5 million lost in phone scams from 11,289 incidents.
Crime Stoppers chief executive Stella Smith said it was important to break the stigma and shame around scamming incidence.
“We’re hearing stories of parents and grandparents who have lost thousands of dollars to scammers promising quick money, guaranteed returns, or big pay-outs with little or no risk,” Ms Smith said.
“We don’t want people to feel embarrassed about being scammed. Talking about scams helps raise awareness among friends and family — it’s about shaming the scammer, not the victim.”
Victoria Police detective superintendent Jane Walsh said it is often difficult to track down scammers as the perpetrators are located overseas.
To report a scam, visit: scamwatch.gov.au
