Basic tips

What to look out for

Scams aren’t always easy to identify but they share two common characteristics – they look credible and they know how to push the all right buttons to get you to respond.

Be wary if the offer:

• Promises to make you rich very quickly without much effort.
• Offers “free gifts” or prizes from a competition you never entered.
• Appears to be an official style correspondence.
• Assures you that the offer is ‘legal’.
• Urges you to act now and/or advise you not tell anyone else.

If an opportunity sounds too good to be true, be careful and follow these tips. 

• Try and hold off to think about your options
• Research or investigate the opportunity. Put the name or company provider in an Internet search engine like Google. If you can’t find the information then don’t proceed.
• Ask questions. Find out whom you’re dealing with and what the guarantees are.
• Make an informed decision and don’t feel pressured.
• If you can not identify it through WA ScamNet then ring Consumer Protection on 1300 30 40 54

Always be careful about giving your personal details – including bank details or using your credit card - when dealing with people or companies you do not know. Identity fraud is a multi-million dollar business.  

Help us alert others to the scam. Forward suspicious emails to our WA ScamNet hotlink:

wascamnet@docep.wa.gov.au.

Alternatively, post any letter scams you receive direct to WA ScamNet (no stamp required):