Don't be fooled by scam emails -- AFP Urge Consumers to be Aware of Phishing Emails During Fraud Awareness Week

The Australian Federal Police (AFP) is urging consumers to be aware of 'phishing' emails, as part of Fraud Awareness Week. With about two-thirds of consumer fraud now occurring online, one in 20 Australians are caught by scams.

Fraud week is an initiative of the Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. This year's theme is "Online Offensive: Fight Fraud Online."

Phishing involves using a form of spam to fraudulently gain access to people's details, most commonly their banking credentials. The term 'phishing' in these instances refers to the use of spam emails purporting to be from a bank or financial institution. In this way criminals 'fish' for legitimate bank customers' logon information. Typically, a phishing email will ask an internet banking customer to follow a link to a fake banking website and enter his or her personal banking details or other personal information.

Acting AFP National Manager for High Tech Crime Operations Karl Kent said criminals send out millions of these fraudulent emails to random email addresses in the hope of luring unsuspecting innocent persons into providing their personal details.

"Banks will never send an email to their customers requesting their personal details and it is important that everyone is aware of this."

Commander Kent said individuals should never respond to an email purporting to be from their bank, never give out personal information online, send personal, credit card or online account details through an email and never enter your account information on a website you are not certain is genuine.

"I encourage consumers who have received emails attempting to phish or scam to visit www.scamwatch.gov.au and report it. Gathering this information will help agencies such as ours improve the prevention, detection, investigation and prosecution of scam offenders. If you have suffered a personal loss, you must report it to both your local police and your financial institution."

The AFP's High Tech Crime Operations Joint Banking and Financial Sector Investigation Teams work with the financial sector, internet security industries and relevant organisations to investigate organised criminal groups perpetrating crimes associated with phishing activity.

"Fraud week" runs from 1 to 7 March and aims at raising awareness of online consumer fraud to the public and how they can protect themselves. The ACFT is a collection of government agencies working in partnership with community groups, industry associations and private businesses that try to combat and reduce consumer fraud through education and enforcement.

To find out more about scams either visit the website www.scamwatch.gov.au or call SCAMwatch on 1300 795 995.