AUSTRALIANS doing it tough are being warned to watch out for increasingly convincing scams, with cybercriminals using artificial intelligence to impersonate trusted organisations and prey on people seeking help.
The St Vincent de Paul Society is urging people to be particularly cautious this National Scams Awareness Week, which runs from 24 August to 28, warning that fake websites, emails, text messages and phone calls can now closely imitate legitimate organisations.
The organisation’s national president Mark Gaetani said advances in AI were making it increasingly difficult for people to tell the difference between a genuine service and a scam.
“Scams are becoming more prevalent and more complex,” he said.
“AI now gives criminals the ability to replicate authentic websites, branding and communications with alarming accuracy.”
The warning is particularly important for people already experiencing financial hardship, who may be seeking assistance with bills, housing or other essential needs.
“Sadly, scammers often target people who are already doing it tough, including people seeking financial assistance, housing support or help with essential bills,” Mr Gaetani said.
“Exploiting someone’s trust at a time of hardship is unconscionable.”
The St Vincent de Paul Society, which has provided practical assistance to Australians experiencing poverty, disadvantage and crisis for decades, says its reputation is increasingly being misused by criminals attempting to obtain personal, financial and government information.
Mr Gaetani said a scam using the society’s name could have consequences beyond the immediate victim, also damaging trust in organisations people depend on when they need help.
“Every scam carried out in our name risks causing harm to individuals and undermining confidence in services people rely on,” he said.
“It also redirects the society’s resources from our important mission as our teams work to identify, respond to and counter fraudulent activity.”
The Society reminded Australians that it will never ask for bank account or Centrelink details online or over the phone, does not offer low-interest loans and will not pressure people to provide personal information, make an urgent payment or click an unsolicited link.
Mr Gaetani said people should stop and check if a message or phone call claiming to be from the Society did not feel right.
“If you receive a message, call, email or see a digital advertisement claiming to be from the St Vincent de Paul Society and something does not feel right, stop and check before responding,” he said.
“Do not provide personal or financial information. Contact the Society through our official channels to verify the communication.”
Anyone who believes the St Vincent de Paul Society’s name or branding is being misused can report a suspected scam directly to the Society on 13 18 12.