Busting these common myths will minimise your chances of being scammed.
Myth 1
All companies, businesses and organisations are legitimate because they are approved and monitored by the government.
This is not always true. While there are rules about setting up and running a business or a company in Australia, scammers can easily pretend to have approval when they do not. Even businesses that do have approval to operate could still try and scam you by acting dishonestly.
Myth 2
All internet websites are legitimate.
This is not always true. Websites are quite easy and cheap to set up and there are not many checks in place to ensure that a website is legitimate.
Myth 3
There are short cuts to wealth that only a few people know.
This is not always true. Ask yourself the question—if someone knew a secret to instant wealth, why would they be telling their secret to others?
Myth 4
Scams involve large amounts of money.
This is not always true. Sometimes scammers target a large number of people and try to get a small amount of money from each person.
Myth 5
Scams are always about money.
This is not always true. Some scams are aimed at stealing personal information from you.
