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Hey all, it's time to hit the brakes and think twice before chatting away! Scammers are leveling up and swindling a whopping $92 million from Aussies this year alone.

This Scams Awareness Week (27 Nov - 1 Dec 2023), the National Anti-Scam Centre is sounding the alarm on impersonation Scams, making up a whopping 70% of the 234,672 reports to Scamwatch from Jan to Sep 2023.

According to the ACCC Deputy Chair, Catriona Lowe, scammers are like slick criminals using fancy tricks to pose as your bank, a government bigwig, or even a top-notch job offer. She's giving us the heads up to take a minute and question if the person we're chatting with is the real deal - online, text, call, or email. Could it be a sneaky scammer?

Scammers play dirty by pressuring you, claiming there's some fishy business with your bank account. But hold your horses! Ms. Lowe says don't rush to hit the panic button. Take a beat and ask yourself if it smells like a scam.

The Scoop on Common Impersonation Scams: 💸

The real wallet busters are imposter bond Scams ($35 mil down the drain), business email cons ($14 mil gone), and bank impersonation shams ($11 mil swiped).

The top-reported Scams? Road toll shakedowns (19,141 reports), Aussie Gov impostors (17,770 reports), and the classic "Hi Mum" family fibs (9,307 reports).

Watch out for job Scams too – they're skyrocketing, up by a whopping 435% to $22.7 million this year. Job hunting just got riskier!

How Scammers Slide into Your DMs: 📱💬

Scammers are sliding into DMs like never before – 49,572 texts, 10,565 phone calls, and 2,904 online attacks reported to Scamwatch.

Ms. Lowe's advice? Don't hesitate to hang up the phone if it smells fishy. Legit folks will get it. And don't click on random links or open surprise email attachments. Scammers are crafty like that, trying to snatch your personal info. About 16% of impersonation Scams this year involved losing personal info – a highway to identity theft.

For more intel and stats, check out the Scams Awareness Week website.

How to Be the Scam-Busting Hero of Your Story: 🦸‍♂️🛡️

Never fork out cash or spill personal info to strangers, especially if you've only met them online or through a call.
Say no to surprise links or email attachments. It's a trap!
Steer clear of upfront payments via dodgy bank transfers, PayID, or cryptocurrency. Getting that cash back is like finding a needle in a haystack.
Watch out for encrypted messages. Scammers love those.
Know who you're dealing with. Dig up contact info independently – don't trust what they hand you.
Don't let anyone rush you. Legit peeps won't force you to act pronto.

Quick Tips to Dodge Scams: 🚫💡

STOP: Hold your horses. Don't hand out cash or info if you're not sure. Scammers play the urgency card. Take your sweet time!
THINK: Could that call or text be fake news? Scammers pretend to be your pals. Check independently to see if it's the real deal. If in doubt, hang up!
PROTECT: If things feel off, act quick! If you lose cash, call your bank pronto. If you spill the beans on personal info, ring up IDCARE at 1800 595 160.
Stay sharp, Aussies! Don't let those scammers rain on your parade! 🚫🌧️