The federal government has launched a campaign aimed at guarding Australian against scams motivated to cause significant financial loss to individuals.
The Fighting Scams Campaign consists of a series of television commercials and social media advertisements and will run until 22 March.
The initiative consists of three key messages, being people should stop before sharing personal information, check to ensure they know with whom they are dealing and protect against scam activity by reporting it to the government’s Scamwatch website.
The government stipulated the prevention measures should be observed not only on an individual level but also by organisations.
“This campaign is critical to arming Australians with tools and tips to keep their money safe from scammers,” Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones explained upon the announcement of the program.
“Anyone can be a target of a scammer, so whether you’re 20 or 65, everyone should stay scam alert.
“The Albanese government has made scams a priority because we get the financial and emotional turmoil victims face and we want to rid Australia of this scourge.”
According to Jones, Canberra’s effort to protect consumers from scams is already yielding results.
To this end, the government noted losses from scam behaviour have almost been halved since it set up the National Anti-Scam Centre, with Scamwatch data showing a greater than 40 per cent drop in the 2024 financial year compared to 2022/23.
Further, the government claimed its Scam Prevention Network is a vital step towards establishing the toughest environment for scammers.
It emphasised the onus that has been placed on banks, telecommunications companies and social media organisations to play their part or risk facing significant fines and compensation payouts.
“Labor will always work hard to ensure people can keep more of what they earn and that means keeping their money safe,” Jones said.