Scams advice for online shoppers and small business: Fraud Week 2010
As part of the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce's 2010 Fraud Week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has issued two new publications to help online shoppers and small business owners avoid scams.
Reflecting the theme for Fraud Week – The Online Offensive, the ACCC has issued Tips for a fine time shopping online which provides internet users with hints on how to protect their security and trade safely online.
"The internet is a great way to get things done, especially shopping. It can save you a lot of time and can be very convenient, but consumers need to be careful when online," ACCC deputy chair Peter Kell said today,
"In the past year the ACCC has recorded a 100 per cent increase in reports about online shopping scams," Mr Kell who is also chair of the Taskforce said.
"Nearly 70 per cent of consumers that contacted the ACCC about scams during 2009 said they were contacted by scammers via the internet," Mr Kell said.
The shopping online publication provides a number of useful tips such as finding out the seller's contact details, using secure payment systems and protecting personal details, as well as advice on what to do if things go wrong (see publication for full list of tips).
The ACCC has also issued a new fact sheet Small Business Scams which explains the types of scams targeting small business and provides hints for business owners on how to avoid falling victim.
"Small business scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and scammers will go to great lengths to convince businesses that the documents they send or the offers they make are legitimate," ACCC deputy chair responsible for small business Michael Schaper said today.
Small business scams come disguised in various forms—from false billing invoices for advertising or directory listings that were never requested to dubious office supplies that were never ordered. More recently, overpayment scams and dodgy investment opportunities have been added to the mix.
"In 2009 the ACCC has recorded a 60 per cent increase in the number of complaints about false billing scams – one of the main types of scams that target small businesses," Dr Schaper said.
"A typical example of this is where a small business is sent a subscription form disguised as an outstanding invoice. This is an attempt to trick the recipient into signing up for unwanted advertising services."
One example where the ACCC has taken court action is the proceeding against the European City Guide (trading as Industry and Commerce) in which it is alleged that it misled businesses into believing that their business had already been published on a register and that updating the service will not incur any costs. However, it is alleged the businesses that return the form have been pursued for payments.
Some of the rules to protect businesses from scams include having clear procedures for managing accounts and always asking for an offer to be provided in writing. (See publication for full list of golden rules).
The ACCC publications will be available free of charge from the ACCC website or by calling the ACCC Infocentre on 1300 302 502.
The Small Business Scams fact is available on the publication section of the website or by following the links to For Business, Running your business and Protect your business from scams.
Tips for a fine time shopping online is available on the publications section of the website or by following the links to For Consumers, Your rights, shopping & pricing, and online shopping.
For more information about the Taskforce's Online Offensive or to report a scam visit www.scamwatch.gov.au or call 1300 795 995.
