Seniors Beware: Scammers Stole $11 Million from Older Aussies Last Year

Older Aussies are being warned to watch out for scammers, with more than $11 million being swindled from seniors last year.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) received 16,915 reports from older people who were scammed in 2021, with $6.7 million being lost through false billing scams – which involve victims being sent fake invoices with demands for payment – and $1.8 million through online shopping scams, including fake websites selling motorhomes.

One especially sinister tactic is money recovery scams – where perpetrators will contact scam victims and offer to recover the money they had lost for a fee. ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard says Australians have lost over $270,000 to these scams so far this year.

NSW Fair Trading has prepared a guide for seniors on consumer rights and how to deal with bad actors – and if you think you may have been scammed, report it to Scamwatch immediately