MyCRA Specialist Credit Repair Lawyers

Tag: scams

  • Cybercrime Hot Spots In Victoria, Queensland And New South Wales – ACORN Receives 39,000 Cybercrime Reports In 2015

    [fusion_builder_container background_color=”#ffffff” background_image=”” background_parallax=”fixed” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”1px” border_color=”#e5e4e4″ border_style=”solid” padding_top=”5px” padding_bottom=”0px” padding_left=”10px” padding_right=”10px” hundred_percent=”yes” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”intro” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]

    Do You Live In A Cybercrime Hot Spot In Victoria, Queensland Or New South Wales?

    Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network receives more than 39,000 reports

    [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]

    “18 January 2016

    The Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN) is continuing to boost law enforcements  efforts to crack down on cybercrime, with more than 39,000 reports received from individuals and organisations in 2015.

    As Australia’s reliance on technology grows, and online shopping remains an increasingly attractive option for busy Australians, the cost and incidence of cybercrime  is expected to increase.

    ACORN is a national policing initiative that allows cybercrime victims to easily and instantly report cases of criminal activity online, as well as providing information on how to avoid falling victim to cyber criminals.

    Many instances of cybercrime go unreported because victims either do not know where to report, don’t think it’s worth reporting, or are reluctant to do so.

    The leading types of cybercrime being reported to the ACORN are online fraud and scams, with 19,232 reports received, accounting for 49 per cent of the total reports received in 2015.

    Online trading issues which affect Australians who buy and sell goods online were the second highest type of cybercrime reported; the ACORN received 8,368 reports which accounts  for 22 per cent of total reports in 2015.

    Victoria received the highest number of cybercrime reports, closely followed by Queensland and New South Wales.

    The majority of reported victims of cybercrime were between 20 and 40 years of age (40%), followed by the 40-60 age group (38%).

    Over the past year, email, social networking, and website advertising have been the top three reported online channels used by cybercriminals to target their victims.

    The Government launched the ACORN in November 2014 as an easy way for the public to report cybercrime and contribute to a national intelligence database which authorities can use to identify and shut down criminals.

    I encourage all members of the public to be vigilant online and to work together to ensure a safer and more secure digital environment for all Australians by reporting to the ACORN.

    The ACORN can be accessed online at www.acorn.gov.au.”[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”15″ bottom_margin=”5″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]Who do you know that might have been the victim or almost the victim of an online scam or an identity theft issue or that has a bad credit rating, you might like to think how much you’d appreciate some help if you’d just been through something like this, and how grateful you’d be if your friend or trusted advisor let you know that you have options to get your life back.  

    Let your friends know that MyCRA lawyers has an independently audited success rate of 91.6% of all matters taken on* received a successful default removal resolution and approx. a 1/3 of them received the good news within 7 days or less.[/fusion_text][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”15″ bottom_margin=”5″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””/][fusion_text]As you think about who you might refer, you might think back over the clients that have been rejected for credit issues by you or your lenders for the past 3 or so years.  Hope is an amazing gift you can give them and it’ll cost you nothing to mention MyCRA Lawyers to them all.  Refer them through using our simple and convenient 90-second online referral form by clicking the button below.[/fusion_text][fusion_button link=”” color=”default” size=”large” stretch=”” type=”3d” shape=”pill” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”fa-user-plus” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”online-referral” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””]Quick – Easy – 90 Second Client Referral – Click Here Now[/fusion_button][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”15″ bottom_margin=”5″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”1px” border_color=”#a7d686″ border_style=”solid” padding=”5px” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”#d4af37″ margin_top=”10px” margin_bottom=”10px” class=”” id=””]Testimonial[/fusion_title][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] Mortgage Broker Jonathan Salter MyCRA Lawyers Testimonial on LinkedIn[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”#d4af37″ margin_top=”10px” margin_bottom=”10px” class=”” id=””]Testimonial[/fusion_title][fusion_text]

     “Thank you so much I will tell all my Doctor friends, family, and I will recommend them to you.”

    “… for me impossible to get any loan, without your help …”

    “… And Lauren Andrew, ahhh Phillip Anthony, Cory – they are all amazing, you know? I can’t tell you how beautiful the service was, it’s amazing, it’s changed my life. It’s changed my life and it’s saved me thousands of dollars because you know the bank wanted to give me 10% because of my credit file. My excellent, my credit history now, it’s back on track…”  Dr Kamal Zgheib – Qld

    [/fusion_text][fusion_text]

    Dr Kamal Zgheib default removal | MyCRA Lawyers Testimonial
    Dr Kamal Zgheib default removal | MyCRA Lawyers Testimonial

    Listen to the Telephone call between Graham Doessel and Dr Kamal.

    [/fusion_text][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”#d4af37″ margin_top=”10px” margin_bottom=”10px” class=”” id=””]Testimonial[/fusion_title][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] Testimonial | MyCRA Lawyers Happy Credit Repair Client | 1300-667-218[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_imageframe lightbox=”yes” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”bottomshadow” hover_type=”zoomin” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”center” link=”” linktarget=”_self” animation_type=”fade” animation_direction=”up” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] Testimonial | MyCRA Lawyers | Credit Repair Experts | 1300-667-218[/fusion_imageframe][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”#d4af37″ margin_top=”10px” margin_bottom=”10px” class=”” id=””]Testimonial[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_section_separator divider_candy=”bottom” icon=”” icon_color=”” bordersize=”1px” bordercolor=”#333333″ backgroundcolor=”#333333″ class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container background_color=”” background_image=”https://mycralawyers.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/bkgd_bw2.jpg” background_parallax=”fixed” enable_mobile=”no” parallax_speed=”0.3″ background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” border_size=”0px” border_color=”#e5e4e4″ border_style=”solid” padding_top=”65px” padding_bottom=”50px” padding_left=”20px” padding_right=”20px” hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” menu_anchor=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_title size=”2″ content_align=”left” style_type=”double solid” sep_color=”#d4af37″ margin_top=”10px” margin_bottom=”10px” class=”” id=””]Testimonial[/fusion_title][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonial name=”Jess” avatar=”female” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Qld” link=”” target=”_self”]Thank you so much for a great service that was professional and very prompt.[/fusion_testimonial][/fusion_testimonials][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonial name=”Sean” avatar=”male” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”NSW” link=”” target=”_self”]thanks a lot for stellar results on the client I referred Friday. Credit Card Default from a trigger happy major was removed in 3 days. Impressive[/fusion_testimonial][/fusion_testimonials][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_3″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonial name=”Joseph” avatar=”male” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”WA” link=”” target=”_self”]I would like to inform you that, after spoken to you yesterday, I called Veda and they told me that my credit default has been removed. I also ordered for my new credit report and indeed the Optus default listing was not there, plus my credit score went up 546 – 716%. I Just want to thank you guys for following up
    Thank you
    [/fusion_testimonial][/fusion_testimonials][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20″ bottom_margin=”20″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonial name=”Awhina” avatar=”female” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”WA” link=”” target=”_self”]Thank you very much for your prompt handling of this matter. Thank you also to Corey who saved me a lot of to and throw (billing minutes) by quickly accessing my file for an up-to-the-minute update, supported by ‘NOW’ emails regarding progress, including clear understandable trust account billing.

    I found it very refreshing get have an ‘off the record’frank discussions drawing on the experience of the team to be absolutely golden! I was able to carry on with business, rest assured myCRA Lawyers had everything under control.

    MyCRA delivered on time and on budget.

    Top Job Guys!! I will gladly recommend MyCRA Lawyers to family and friends in the future[/fusion_testimonial][/fusion_testimonials][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”1_2″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonials design=”classic” backgroundcolor=”” textcolor=”” random=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_testimonial name=”Stefan” avatar=”male” image=”” image_border_radius=”” company=”Qld” link=”” target=”_self”]I contacted MyCRA Lawyers after being off work with an injury.
    It started by missing a couple of small payments, power, phone then an existing loan I had.
    Still unable to return to work, things started to compound exponentially and before I knew it I started getting calls from up to 3 different debt collectors 5 times a day.

    I felt powerless to do anything about it and decided to give Graham Doessel at MyCRA Lawyers a call. Within the first week Graham and his expert team had completely removed the $1000 debt but more importantly, the default listing from VEDA. Their high success rate of removing defaults, combined with their extensive knowledge of debt collectors not adhering to certain rules they must follow means the defaults can be removed quicker than you would expect.
    I would certainly recommend their services, and can’t tell you how satisfied you feel when the burden is lifted.[/fusion_testimonial][/fusion_testimonials][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”3_5″ last=”no” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Complete your application to the right

    As you think about who you might refer, you might think back over the clients that have been rejected for credit issues by you or your lenders for the past 3 or so years.  Hope is an amazing gift you can give them and it’ll cost you nothing to mention MyCRA Lawyers to them all.  Refer them through using our simple and convenient  90-second online referral form by clicking the big Green Button to the right.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][fusion_builder_column type=”2_5″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”20″ bottom_margin=”30″ sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””/][fusion_button link=”” color=”default” size=”large” stretch=”” type=”3d” shape=”pill” target=”_self” title=”” gradient_colors=”|” gradient_hover_colors=”|” accent_color=”” accent_hover_color=”” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”fa-user-plus” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”online-referral” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””]Quick – Easy – 90 Second Client Referral – Click Here Now[/fusion_button][fusion_modal name=”online-referral” title=”Refer Your Client Safely, Quickly and Easily To MyCRA Lawyers.” size=”large” background=”” border_color=”” show_footer=”yes” class=”” id=””][contact-form-7 id=”6860″ title=”Online Referrer”][/fusion_modal][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px” background_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”none” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px” background_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”none” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible” margin_top=”20px” margin_bottom=”20px” background_color=”rgba(255,255,255,0)”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_separator style_type=”none” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”” class=”” id=””/][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Past results are no indication of future success.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]

  • ‘TAX REFUND NOTIFICATION’ Don’t get caught out with this scam at tax time.

    tax refund notificationA high priority alert has just been issued from Stay Smart Online in regards to malware-carrying emails supposedly from the Australian Taxation Office, which could send your credit file into the doghouse. Most people who regularly read this blog will probably be well aware of the high prevalence of scam emails designed to capture your financial details either directly or through malware. They would also be well aware of the dangers that can pose for your ability to obtain credit in your own right if fraudsters steal your identity and pose as you to take out credit in your name. But we feel it is important to remain vigilant in warning the community when such emails are on the increase. They could just catch out someone you know. So we look at the details on this email and its variants, and what dangers it poses for the financial information of ordinary Australians.

     

    By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

    Today Stay Smart Online (the government’s online safety website) issued a warning about cyber criminals taking advantage of the upcoming tax deadline for filing tax returns by launching thousands of scam emails. The emails are purporting to be from the ATO, but contain malware which can steal your personal information.

    Security firm Bitdefender reported the detection of three email spam campaigns in late July and early August that saw up to 10,000 spam emails sent on 6 August. This surpassed the 3,000 messages sent on 23 July and the 5,000 messages sent on 15 July.

    “This sort of malicious outbreak is expected to continue heavier and more targeted as the tax time approaches its deadline in October,” a Bitdefender advisory warned. “Attackers hope their targets are too concerned with their financial duties to double check the sender’s address and discover the con.”

    If your system is infected by the malware in these messages, private data such as passwords and logins for financial institutions can be stolen and distributed to cyber criminals who will exploit it for financial gain.

    If your computer becomes infected, not only can personal information be stolen, but malware may force the computer to join a global ‘botnet’ that uses thousands of slave computers to distribute further malware-laden emails—or it might take part in distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks. Among other things, this can seriously reduce the effective speed of a home Internet connection.

    What the emails look like…

    Most common spam emails

    ‘Australian Taxation Office – Refund Notification’, with body text including ‘TAX REFUND NOTIFICATION’. It instructs you to open an attachment called ‘ATO_TAX_pokeefe.zip’ or similar. The attachment is typically malware.

    ‘New information regarding lodgement’ and suggests that the ATO has been attempting to refund a payment to “the credit card we have on file.” Recipients are advised to log into an ‘e-portal’ to receive the refund manually, and that “during the payment process you will be given the opportunity to update the credit card that is on record.”

    Important Information…

    The ATO will never ask for such information via email. Any email that requests additional information before a refund can be released is a hoax.

    If you receive a message like this, do not under any circumstances open the attachment. Delete the message immediately. Never open attachments that arrive with these sorts of messages.

     

    Identity theft and your credit file

    Identity theft can lead to fraud, and can affect your credit file. It often goes undetected until the victim applies for credit and is refused.

    Any kind of credit account (from mortgages and credit cards through to mobile phone accounts) which remains unpaid past 60 days can be listed as a default by creditors on the victim’s credit rating, and those defaults remain there for 5 years.

    The consequence of people having a black mark on their credit rating is generally an inability to obtain credit.  Most of the major banks refuse credit to people who have defaults, or even too many credit enquiries, so it is really essential to keep a clean credit record.

    If you think your identity has been stolen, or that your personal information has been compromised there are three things you should do to protect your credit file:

    1. Contact Police immediately

    2. Contact the credit reporting agencies which hold your credit file.

    3. Contact your Credit Providers – especially financial institutions.

    If you think your tax file number has been stolen, you can visit the ATO’s Client Identity Support Centre for more help. They also give comprehensive advice on what to do in different situations of theft of your personal information.

    By law in Australia, if a listing contains inconsistencies the credit file holder has the right to negotiate their amendment or removal.

    But to clear their good name, the identity theft victim needs to prove to creditors they did not initiate the credit – which can be difficult. Not only are victims generally required to produce police reports, but large amounts of documentary evidence to substantiate to creditors the case of identity theft.

    Contact www.mycra.com.au for more details on credit repair following identity theft.

    Image: Stuart Miles/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Cyber-safety and financial identity: 5 reasons why parents need to be cyber-savvy.

    Media Release

    child internet useCyber-safety and financial identity: 5 reasons why parents need to be cyber-savvy.

    8 August 2013

    A credit expert is urging parents to focus on maintaining a dialogue with their children and get themselves up to speed with technology, in order to best prevent families from falling prey to the internet’s financial predators.

    CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair, Graham Doessel says no parent should be complacent when it comes to their child’s internet use, particularly when they’re engaging in social networking.

    “At any age, we can be at risk of sharing too much information, adding suspect friends, downloading malware and falling for scams – all of which can threaten the integrity of not only our finances as parents – but for children, potentially their financial future as well,” he says.

    Mr Doessel says his company helps Australians clear adverse listings from their credit file which they believe should not be there. He says no one is immune to financial predators – and when a client experiences identity theft which leads to credit being taken out in their name, they are left financially crippled.

    “Basically the victim ends up with defaults on their credit file which unfortunately means they are black listed from credit for 5 years. These victims can’t borrow for anything – they can’t even take out a mobile phone plan,” he says.

    His warning comes following the release of the Australian Communications and Media Authority’s (ACMA) special report last Friday, on the way young Australians use the internet and social media.

    The report ‘Like, post, share’ explored emerging trends such as the rise of mobile access to the internet.

    “Whether it’s for study, playing games or connecting to friends and family, young Australians are placing more and more importance on the online aspects of their lives,” said ACMA Deputy Chairman Richard Bean.

    Mr Doessel says there are many reasons for parents to understand their child’s vulnerability to fraud from internet use – but he has identified 5 key reasons:

    1. Our kids are actually targets for fraudsters.

    Just because children are not 18, doesn’t mean they are not financially at risk. There have been warnings from Police about crooks scrolling through thousands of social networking pages purposely looking for young people, because they usually have the most open privacy settings.
    ”
    That information is not used right away, but is stored or ‘warehoused’ until the young people turn 18. They can then go on a ‘spending spree’ with the young person’s fake identity and credit.

    Mr Doessel says kids can also put their parents’ credit file at risk.

    “Downloading viruses can also mean the family computer is put at risk – which can threaten the financial identity of anyone using that computer for banking or other sensitive activities, and sharing too much information about parents can also be dangerous,” Mr Doessel says.

    2. Kids are on the net at increasing rates.

    According to the ACMA’s report, the percentage of Australian eight to nine year olds who rate the internet as ‘very important’ in their lives has doubled since 2009.

    Up to 35 per cent of eight to 11-year-olds have their own mobile phone, rising to 94 per cent of 16 to 17-year-olds.

    As children and young people get older their understanding of the internet and their use of it increases.

    “Older children and young people come to view the internet as a primary activity in and of itself and a source of entertainment, information and education,” the report says.

    One emergent area of avid use has been identified as social networking services, with the ACMA stating that it has become a “primary means of building, negotiating and presenting their social identities.”

    3. Social networking is incredibly risky.

    Mr Doessel says social networking offers fraudsters a whole host of personal information which can be misused.

    “Personal information can be extracted from social network sites, and fraudsters can build a profile on the victim – which can lead to identity theft and subsequent fraud,” he says.

    Social networking risks can include predatory friend requests, extraction of ‘public’ information for fraudulent use, viruses which include malware to extract passwords and other personal information from computers, and scam emails.

    Despite the risks, the ACMA report shows privacy is not always practiced by children.

    “Compared to their theoretical knowledge, perception and awareness of risks, their actual behaviour demonstrates that this knowledge is often not put into practice,” the report states.

    4. Pre-teens are vulnerable.

    The ACMA reports that parents need to think about starting conversations about cyber-safety with their kids earlier, with fewer eight to 11 year olds reporting having discussed issues of cyber-safety with their parents than 12 to 17 year olds.

    Younger teens are also slightly less likely to have private profiles or take other steps to manage their privacy.

    “From the research it seems that there is an age threshold of around 14 onwards where the relevance of a [fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][digital] footprint can be grasped,” the report states.

    5. Our kids think they know more than us (and often they’re right!).

    Parents are the main source of advice and support for young people who are experiencing difficulties online, and ideally should be perceived as the authority on technology matters.

    “If parents don’t know their way around the web, they owe it to themselves and their family to get to know,” Mr Doessel says.

    “Whilst we can offer more freedom as they age, children still require our parenting in the virtual world as they would in the real one,” he says.

    The ACMA report shows when messages were delivered by individuals who children and young people perceive as being authorities in the area as well as having active knowledge of the activities they pursue, then such messages of cyber-safety can really get through.

    For more advice on protecting your financial identity, or for recovering from identity theft, people can go to MyCRA’s website  http://www.mycra.com.au/identity-theft/.

    /ENDS.

    MEDIA ENQUIRIES

    For Interviews – Graham Doessel – Founder and CEO MyCRA    Ph 3124 7133

    For all media enquiries – Lisa Brewster – Media Relations media@mycra.com.au

    media@mycra.com.au http://www.mycra.com.au/       www.mycra.com.au.blog

    246 Stafford Road, STAFFORD QLD. Ph: 07 3124 7133

    MyCRA Credit Rating Repair is Australia’s number one in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

    http://www.acma.gov.au/theacma/newsroom/newsroom/media-releases/we-like-we-post-we-share-the-online-lives-of-young-australians
    http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/police-warn-of-sophisticated-plan-to-steal-identities-20111108-1n5l8.html#ixzz1dB4ctHcT

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  • Watchdog criticised over lack of prosecutions for fraudsters and identity thieves

    Identity theftPeople are starting to get angry over scams and identity theft. As anyone with a computer, a telephone or who banks would know – the attempts to steal our financial information, or to scam us online are getting more and more frequent, but it seems the prosecutions are not increasing. We examine Michael Pasoce’s controversial opinion piece from todays The Age. The piece refers to criticism that the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Police are ignoring 99.9 per cent of scamsters.

    By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repair and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au.

    Michael Pasoce’s article Watchdog lacking any bite as scammers fleece us is pretty damning of the ACCC and the Australian Police, and their lack of ‘bite’ in matters of prosecution of fraudsters. Here is an excerpt from Pascoe’s article today:

    “The ACCC doesn’t even try to lumber fraudsters and scam artists – it just hopes to “disrupt” them with a little education of us mugs. Education is indeed a good thing and that deserves a tick, but locking up the very nasty little perpetrators wouldn’t be a bad idea either. They’re not even trying.

    Responsibility for that of course should be shared with the various police fraud squads – but they are rather hopelessly under-manned, under-skilled and really only interested in the big stuff, preferably if it’s rather simple, old-fashioned fraud.

    Many of the online and telephone con artists are based overseas, but there are plenty of low-life locals as well. Successful fraudsters keep their jobs relatively small and remain mobile. That way the police and ACCC won’t bother taking an interest, even when a case is handed to them on a platter.

    At last month’s Retail World conference (disclosure: I was paid to chair it), online retailers told how completely frustrated they were in trying to get any authority to take action over fraud.

    For example, a fridge is purchased online by someone using a credit card. Fridge is delivered. The owner of the credit card phones his or her bank claiming they did not authorise the purchase – perhaps claiming a child used the card without permission. The bank refunds the money to their customer and hits the retailer with a charge-back. In the words of the Queensland Police website, the retailer then becomes the complainant – nearly all the time, police don’t want to know about it.

    What’s more, from the same website: “If the cardholder is reimbursed for the loss, financial institutions have agreed that they do not require the cardholder to report the matter to police for investigation.”

    The banks are treating this sort of fraud as merely a cost of business. The retailers are getting nothing in return for their merchant fees.

    A major online white goods retailer told me one of the fraudsters tried to hit them a second time. The retailer attempted to interest the local gendarmes in catching the thief in the act – but they weren’t interested.”

    Pascoe argues that the supposed authorities have been overwhelmed by this class of crime.

    “The law is too complicated in dealing with it, the manpower to tackle it is not forthcoming, there is yet again no sign of anyone having fire in the belly, a desire to kick heads. The scumbags who prey upon the gullible effectively have a free hand to go forth and defraud while police will visit a pop star’s hotel room to inspect a half a joint,” he says.

    So if it all too complicated – is the argument still there for reporting scams and other forms of identity theft to Police or other authorities even if no monies are lost?

    Absolutely. Without reporting, authorities won’t have any idea of the scale of the problem, and that is the first step towards fixing it. I have long been of the belief that not requiring the reporting of fraud which has been reimbursed by banks is exacerbating the problems in this area. The thing is, all of these small instances may just be a drop in the ocean, but they could all be drops from the same source.

    Was Pascoe right to call to task the authorities over a lack of prosecutions in this area?

    Absolutely. It is important that we apply pressure to government and to Police, to find a way to locate and prosecute fraudsters, or to justify why they can’t.

    In reality, prosecutions can be difficult simply because of the global nature of this crime. Small time fraudsters may be doing all of the leg work here – and on selling the information to global syndicates. Or fraudsters may be able to buy personal information obtained by international fraudsters and use it to obtain credit in Australia. It is a tangled web – but it’s one we should be throwing time, money and resources into now and in the future.

    Identity theft and your credit file

    Cyber-crime can be perpetrated by stealing the personal information of individuals, generally through obtaining it via virus software known as ‘malware’ or by phishing scams which appear to be genuine companies asking for personal details which can then be used to generate fake identification. Then the fraudster will go about taking out credit in the victim’s name. If the theft goes undetected, the fraudster can be racking up thousands of dollars in debt in the person’s name. This is when identity fraud affects the victim’s credit file. When this happens, it is not only the victim’s bank accounts that can be affected, but more importantly their ability to obtain credit in the future.

    In Australia, if a credit file holder fails to make repayments on credit past 60 days, then a default can be placed on their credit file by the creditor. This default remains on the credit file for 5 years, and can severely hinder their chances of getting credit once it is placed. For the identity theft victim, this can leave them severely disadvantaged for 5 years, and unable to take out legitimate credit. The only way they may be able to restore their good name is through lots of hard work proving to creditors they did not initiate the credit.

    For information on preventing identity theft, and help with repairing a credit rating following fraud, contact MyCRA Credit Repair, or call tollfree 1300 667 218.

    Image: Victor Habbick/ www.FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Slam Scams! Anyone can end up a victim of scams and identity theft

    Scams are not just reserved for the elderly or the technologically unsound – although these people can be vulnerable. In reality, scams are so prevalent and can be so sophisticated that anyone can find themselves a victim of a scam. For National Consumer Fraud Week, myself and my team at MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs want to help promote the realisation in the community that scammers are out there every day draining bank accounts and leaving you with a bad credit history for years to come.

    By Graham Doessel, Founder and CEO of MyCRA Credit Rating Repairs and www.fixmybadcredit.com.au .

    ‘Slam scams’ is the theme for National Consumer Fraud Week 2012 run by the Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT).

    Their aim is to educate Australians on the prevalence of scams in everyday life, and the often sophisticated nature of scams.

    Here’s an explanation of the Week as featured on the ACCC’s SCAMwatch website:

    “Have you ever received a phone call or SMS out of the blue, a phishy email or ‘lucky’ letter, an unknown knock at the door or a strange request from an online friend or admirer? National Consumer Fraud Week 2012 runs from 19 to 25 March and is all about raising awareness of scam delivery methods so that you can identify and slam a scam at the point of contact.

    Scammers are increasingly sophisticated in how they deliver scams, taking advantage of new technology and communication methods to try and slip under your radar. Online platforms and mobile technology such as emails, social networking sites, smartphones and tablets make it easier to connect with people around the world and communicate in real time anonymously, privately or publicly. Unfortunately, scammers also take advantage of these benefits to target you.

    Scammers are also not afraid to adopt a personal touch such as contacting you at home on your phone or at your door. They will try and push your buttons by playing on your emotions to evoke a sense of guilt, anxiety or fear. They also use slick tricks such as professional-looking websites or documents, and often pose as someone or an organisation that you know and trust.

    Scammers will use any means to deliver a scam and get you to part with your money or personal details. If you receive a scam, slam it!

    Remember to press delete, throw it out, shut the door or just hang up.

    Tips to keep scammers at arms length

    DON’T RESPOND
         Ignore suspicious emails, letters, house visits, phone calls or SMS – press ‘delete’, throw them out, shut the door or just hang up

    WATCH OUT FOR SLICK TRICKS
         Scammers use sophisticated tricks to fool you such as fake websites, glossy brochures, technical jargon or posing as someone that you know and trust – don’t fall for them!

    DON’T LET SCAMMERS PUSH YOUR BUTTONS
    Scammers will play on your emotions to get what they want

    PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY
         Your personal details are private and invaluable – keep them that way and away from scammers

    Fighting fraud: we can all play a part” SCAMwatch says.

    The Sydney Morning Herald has this morning featured scams in this article titled $85m lost in business scams last year:

    “THE Australian Competition and Consumer Commission received 83,150 reports of scams from small businesses and consumers in 2011, almost double the number the year before and more than quadruple the number in 2009, according to its annual scam report, to be released today.

    More than $85 million in losses were reported, up 35 per cent.

    Michael Schaper, chairman of the Australian Consumer Fraud Taskforce and deputy chair of the ACCC, said the number of scams was likely to be higher than reported, because many victims were too embarrassed to come forward,” the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

     

    Table from Sydney Morning Herald

    Slam scams and stop credit file misuse

    People need to stop feeling embarrassed that they have fallen victim to scams, and start coming forward about their experiences. Unfortunately many people who are victims of a scam have also given over lots of personal information in the process. This can lead to identity theft and the scammers taking credit out in the victim’s name.

    Embarrassment aside, these victims are stuck unable to take out credit while their credit file shows a series of overdue accounts they had no knowledge of, and are not responsible for. . Not only are scams damaging short term, but the effects can be long-ranging. Victims are unable to take out credit for 5 years while their credit file shows this bad credit history.

    The more these victims are ridiculed for somehow being ‘gullible’ the more they will hide away and not speak out about the instances of scams. Also, the impression that these scams are easy to detect will remain in the wider community.

    We need everyone to know these scams are not obvious. Scammers are clever and they have plenty of patience.

    But if something doesn’t ring true…the best thing people can do is stop the contact, and verify the information of the person before they proceed.

    And remember the golden rule, before giving out money or personal information – no matter who it is – people should do all they can to make that transaction as secure as possible.

    For scam victims…one of the essential tasks to perform while notifying your bank is to check your credit file is not showing any bad credit history put there by scammers.

    If you think you may have been a victim of a scam, talk to us confidentially tollfree on 1300 667 218 or visit the main website www.mycra.com.au about what this could mean for you and your credit file – and how we can help you restore you good name.

    Image: David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Mixed messages about protecting personal information

    Don’t give away your personal information to anyone – especially to strangers who come knocking at your door.  Seems like the golden rule to live by nowadays to avoid identity theft and scams…unless the person knocking is from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

    The government has been very busy telling people to be careful with their personal information. With identity theft now the fastest growing crime in Australia it is no wonder. The Government’s SCAMWatch website continually warns the public about scammers who are trying to steal their personal and financial information by masquerading as a variety of people at their door.

    Here is a list of some of the ways SCAMwatch says people have been caught out by door to door scams:

    Home maintenance scams: scammers try to sell home maintenance services, like roofing or gardening services, and then bill people for additional work they did not agree to.

    Charity scams: These scams play on people’s generosity and involve a scammer posing as a genuine charity in order to fraudulently collect money.

    ATO scams: Australian Taxation Office—door-to-door scam. People claiming to be consultants from the ATO ask people to sign up to a fictional government program promising financial incentives, including a reduction in taxes. In return for signing up, scammers ask people for personal information such as credit card information or banking details.

    Survey scams: Sometimes scammers pretend to conduct a survey so they can get personal details or to intitally disguise their sales pitch.

    Digital television scams: door-to-door salespeople offering to sell people conversion equipment and falsely claiming to represent the government.

    People can not only stand to lose out financially, but if they have given over crucial personal information to the door-knocker, and they turn out to be a crook, that can also lead to identity theft. The victim could possibly have fraudsters not only drain their bank accounts, but take out credit in their name. The road to recovery is long and arduous as it can be difficult for people to prove they didn’t take the credit out themselves.

    It may have surprised many to then read a report in The Australian titled ‘Pushing the Limits of Privacy’ on Monday about a couple who felt pressured to give over their personal information to Australian Bureau of Statistics officers.

    The couple were randomly selected to participate in an extensive survey where they were required to provide financial and personal information to the ABS for their Survey of Income and Housing 2011-12.

    The couple felt “uncomfortable” doing this for a couple of reasons. According to the story, they had just returned from a long overseas trip and had no time to view any previous material the ABS had sent them by mail. The couple were simply greeted fresh by someone at the door “demanding” they book in an interview with an officer to give over their personal information and provide documentary evidence to boot.

    The couple had been victims of credit card skimming while overseas.

    “Interpol had warned them to be especially careful about giving anyone any financial information at all because their experience raised their risk of identity theft,” the story says.

    So they were quite “uneasy”. They sat at an interview in their home, answering important questions like date of birth, place of birth, citizenship status – all normal questions for the ABS to ask, but also normal questions for fraudsters looking to extract identity information from their victim.

    So why were the couple forced to give over their personal information if they felt uncomfortable about it?

    The story explains that in general, ABS collation is compulsory. Failure to comply can result in fines of $110 a day, at the discretion of the magistrate who will hear the case once the person has been charged.

    There are exemptions on offer, and the couple may have been able to apply for one, but it appears in the story they were not given an option to apply for an exemption.

    ABS spokesman Rod Smith expressed disappointment at the couple’s experience. “If it happened exactly as you’re suggesting, that’s not how we train our people to behave in public,” he says.

    The Australian Bureau of Statistics is by law allowed to regularly compel a random section of the population to be involved in more extensive surveys in which they are personally interviewed by ABS representatives, and their information is then used for more in-depth surveys.

    This makes sense – the ABS surveys are a great snapshot of the population. They are necessary for understanding the people who inhabit this country.

    The Personal Fraud Survey 2007 alone has helped us to understand so much more of how identity theft and fraud has affected Australians in reality.

    But in this day and age the prospect of a stranger coming into our home for an interview where we give over our personal information can sound quite confronting to some. Many mistrust those that show up at the door claiming to be from one company or another. Those that let people in – well we often read about them in the news as the country’s latest scam victim.

    To be compelled to participate may be too much for some people –as it was for this couple who had just had a brush with credit card skimmers. Other groups of people may also have a problem with this type of interview:

    “The very fact that someone can come in to a private home to ask these questions may upset those who are particularly sensitive: refugees from totalitarian regimes, for example, or from countries where rule of law and due process are unknown; people, especially the elderly or the physically vulnerable, who live alone; even people, introverts for example, who have never been traumatised but simply have a more highly developed sense than most of the divide between personal and public,” the story says.

    This brings to light the issue that possibly in this day and age, the selected people for this in-depth type of survey need to be well informed by the ABS of their right to seek exemption from participation in the survey despite its compulsory nature. In this way, they will feel less pressure to give over something which has turned into a valuable commodity – their personal information.

    If people are unsure of what to do if someone comes to their door, SCAMWatch has this advice:

    Protect yourself from door-to-door & home maintenance scams

    If someone comes to your door, ask to see their identification. You do not have to let them in, and they must leave if you ask them to.

    Check that the trader is registered on the Australian Government’s business.gov.au website.

    Do not agree to offers or deals straight away: tell the person that you are not interested or that you want to get some advice before making a decision.

    If you are interested in what a door-to-door salesperson has to offer, take the time to find out about their business and their offer.

    Carry out a web search on the business to see if there are other consumers who have commented on the quality of their work – many scams can be identified this way.

    ALWAYS get independent advice if an offer involves significant money, time or commitment.

    Read all the terms and conditions of any offer very carefully: claims of free or very cheap offers often have hidden costs.

    Always check that goods or services were both ordered and delivered before paying an invoice.

    Contact your local office of fair trading if you are unsure about an offer or trader.

    For help with repairing a credit rating following identity theft, contact our main website www.mycra.com.au or phone 1300 667 218.

    Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalphotos.net

  • The Christmas credit risks you need to know about

    5 Reasons why the Christmas season is the time you are most at risk of damaging your credit rating

    As credit repairers, our busiest period is in the first few months after Christmas. Clients come to us desperate for help to remove the negative listings from their credit files that are causing them to be refused home loans, car loans, personal loans and even mobile phone plans. At this time it is heads down and tails up for our team as we plough through the many cases we receive.

    Before this time, we thought we’d review why the post-Christmas credit crunch may occur, and hopefully help some of you stay out of trouble.

    Here are 5 Christmas hazards you should be aware of:

    1. Identity theft.

    With identity theft growing in severity and volume to now be the fastest growing crime in Australia, the perfect time for fraud could be the Christmas period. Scammers are out in full force and people can be lax with their personal information – never an ideal combination. Many news outlets report of fraudsters ramping up tactics – accessing people’s bank accounts and using personal information to steal identities and ruin good credit ratings.

    The Government website SCAMwatch has released the 12 scams of Christmas – a report on what consumers should watch out for. A few of the prominent scams for 2011 include:

    Holiday scams. Consumers are warned to look out for fake accommodation vouchers, scam travel clubs and scammers asking you to pay upfront deposits for properties which aren’t actually available for rent.
    Flight scams. Scammers set up fake websites which look genuine and make you believe you are purchasing an authentic flight ticket. When you arrive at the airport you may find your booking was a fake.
    Charity scams. At Christmas many legitimate charities appeal for donations of money, food, clothing and children’s gifts. Unfortunately scammers also try to get your money by camouflaging themselves as genuine charities.
    Online shopping. Beware, scammers post fake classified ads, auction listings, and run bogus websites. If you get caught by a scammer you will not only lose your money but will also never receive the item you were trying to purchase!

    If fraudsters are able to access your personal details in full to commit identity theft – they have basically the key to your good credit rating. They can run up credit all over town in your name. Often it’s not until you go to apply for credit in your own right and are refused that you realise your credit file has been misused.  With adverse listings difficult for the individual to remove, and with defaults remaining on your credit file for 5 years your life is basically set to be turned upside down without the help of a credit repairer.

    2. Overlooking bill payments.

    There is no doubt the lead up to Christmas is busy. Work is incredibly fast-paced, kids have prizegivings, graduations, Christmas parties and holidays, the Christmas shopping needs to get finished, Christmas food needs to be bought, and holidays need to be booked and planned. The fallout from all of this stress can be the little $180 phone bill that gets shoved in a drawer to think about at a later date, or you can even forget to transfer money for the mortgage payment.

    Then you go away for a few weeks in January to unwind trying to put Christmas, work, and stress behind you while you dip your toes in the water and sip your margarita.

    When you get back, there may be a notice in the mail saying the phone company or the bank has listed your account as unpaid and put a default listing on your credit file. Or it may not be until you apply for credit again that you find out about the bill – but by then it is much too late.

    60 days is all it takes to have an unpaid account listed as a default on your credit file.

    Before you get into the Christmas rush, nominate a place for all of your bills and make a point of actioning them all as soon as you can. Don’t let the New Year go by without clearing your debts – especially if you are going on holiday for a significant period.

    3. Moving and transfers.

    Moving house is a very common reason people have bills and even default notices go undetected which can lead to a bad credit rating. As Christmas and New Year is a very common time for transfers and other work changes to occur that could see you moving interstate it is very important to tie up all loose ends in your current address.

    At least two weeks prior to your move, notify all creditors of your change of address and when that will occur and get confirmation of the receipt of your new address in writing or via email from them. When cancelling utility and phone accounts, give those creditors the date of your move and request to settle the account on that date. Ask for confirmation that the account has been settled sent to you via email or to your new address. Make a diary note to chase this up if it has not been sent within a week of your move.

    The number one rule for moving is get all changes confirmed in writing. Otherwise accounts may not be completely settled, and the creditors may not have your new address to send you any outstanding debts, resulting in a bad credit rating which you would only find out about when you are going for credit in a separate instance.

    4. Over committing and spiralling into debt.

    It may be a simple rule, but one which can be difficult to apply when you get caught up in the “Christmas spirit” – don’t spend what you can’t afford.

    You may, as many do, feel the pressure to “give” so much you do so at the expense of your own budget and ultimately end up with a debt you cannot pay back. The end result of this can be getting into more debt to pay the original debt. It eventually catches up with you, and you end up with loan commitments you can’t meet or other bills get neglected because you just can’t afford to pay it all. Creditors start to default your credit file. Your financial freedom is compromised.

    Savings guide Australia offers some tips this season on ways to have a great Christmas without blowing the budget. Our best advice is actually to have a budget and stick to it. Reducing spending on each person by even 20% will make a massive difference at the end of your shopping. You should also write a shopping list and stick to it, minimising the likelihood of impulse buying.

    Remember it’s the thought that counts!

    5. Overlooking errors and omissions from Creditors.

    This is the silly season – and everyone is busy and preoccupied. The volume of transactions may increase while staff decrease, putting stress on Creditors’ systems. For this reason it is crucial to keep an eye on your own finances.

    Check your bank statements (it could even help with Christmas budgeting), check your bills as they come in and make sure everything is as it should be. Know which bills are due and when. If you don’t receive a bill for whatever reason, chase it up. The Creditor will more than likely still have a record of the bill – it may have been lost in the mail or sent to the wrong person. But in the end you are the one who will pay for their oversight.

    This is also a good time to request a free copy of your credit file from one or more of the credit reporting agencies if you haven’t already this year. You will receive a copy of your credit report within 10 working days. You should check that all of your details are correct. Check there are no adverse listings on your credit file which could prevent you from accessing credit in the future. If there are negative listings – defaults, writs or Judgments which you believe contain errors, are unfair or just shouldn’t be there, you have the right to have these entries rectified.

    Make your life easier and ensure you get the best chance of getting the listing/s removed by instilling the help of a credit repairer. Visit MyCRA Credit Repairs for more information on how credit repair works, or call tollfree on 1300 667 218.

    Image: Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

    1. Image: Chris Sharp / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 3. Image: Digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 4. Image: worradmu / FreeDigitalPhotos.net 5. Image: nuttakit / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Internet fraud can happen to anyone

    Media Release

    3 October 2011

    Many of the new forms of online fraud are sophisticated and elaborate – often even fooling those who believe they are computer-savvy, according to a national credit repairer.

    Director of MyCRA Credit Repairs, Graham Doessel dismisses claims victims of online fraud are stupid and are ‘asking’ to be ripped off and says keeping abreast of current scams is sometimes the only way to avoid being a victim.

    “Some of my clients have been cleverly fooled by scammers, who have weaved a tangled web of lies and deceit. It is not just a case of ‘oh we were asked to  send money so we did’ – most people believed they were dealing with legitimate companies and have been unlucky to end up on the wrong end of fraud,” Mr Doessel says.

    Mr Doessel’s comments come as Superintendent Hay, head of the Fraud and Corporate Crime Group, told the Brisbane Times recently, each month about 2000 Queenslanders transferred a total of $2 million to scammers in Nigeria and Ghana.

    Superintendant Hay, joined Investigators from Nigeria, Ghana and the United  States at a conference south of Brisbane last week, focused on tackling the global “fraud pandemic”.

    He urged people to have more compassion for victims of scams.

    “Fraud victims are victims of a crime, they need our respect and need our support and need our help to rebuild their lives,” he says.

    Mr Doessel says his company helps people clear adverse listings from their credit file which they believe should not be there. He says when a client experiences identity theft which leads to the scammer taking out credit in their name, they are left financially crippled.

    “Basically the victim ends up with defaults on their credit file which unfortunately means they are black listed from credit for 5 years. These victims can’t borrow for anything – they can’t even take out a mobile phone plan,” he says.

    Identity theft and subsequent fraud has become rampant worldwide. A survey commissioned by the Attorney-General’s office in July showed 1 in 6 Australians had been or knew someone who had been the victim of identity theft or misuse.

    The survey also revealed that the majority of identity theft or misuse occurred over the Internet (58 per cent), or through the loss of a credit or debit card (30 per cent).  Stolen identify information was primarily used to purchase goods or services (55 per cent) or to obtain finance, credit or a loan (26 per cent).

    Mr Doessel says by blaming the victims of identity theft and scams, we are making light of the often sophisticated nature of fraud and for this reason more people could possibly fall victim to it in the future.“

    People need to know this business is lucrative, and the fraudsters are vehement. New scams are being cooked up every day to dupe people into giving over their money or their personal details. Just because people aren’t fooled by the current scams, doesn’t mean they are totally immune,” he says.

    He says internet users need to keep up-to-date with all scams being perpetrated in the community, and this can start with subscribing to the Government’s Stay Smart Online, and SCAMWatch websites, which  alerts people to new scams and viruses as they arise.

    “Unfortunately this is a war we are all waging against unknown criminals from an unknown location, that can be whoever they want to be in order to steal people’s money or their good name. Fighting it starts with risk awareness and being extremely protective over who gets our personal information,” he says.

    /ENDS.

    Please contact:

    Lisa Brewster – Media Relations   Mob: 0450 554 007 media@mycra.com.au
    Graham Doessel  – Director   Ph 07 3124 7133

    www.mycra.com.au www.mycra.com.au/blog 246 Stafford Rd, STAFFORD Qld
    MyCRA Credit Repairs is Australia’s leader in credit rating repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

    Links:
    http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/technology/technology-news/fraud-victims-just-dont-listen-police-20110927-1kv5t.html#ixzz1Zg5GiF9x
    http://www.ag.gov.au/www/ministers/mcclelland.nsf/Page/MediaReleases_2011_ThirdQuarter_3July2011-Newresearchshowsidentitytheftaffectsoneinsixpeople

    Image: Michelle Meiklejohn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • Fraudsters target overseas-based property owners

    Identity theft appears to be the new black in criminal circles. Perhaps there has never been a better time to commit identity theft. Opportunity is high, awareness is still fairly low, and prevention of this crime unfortunately seems to be reactionary-based as fraudsters think up bigger and better ways of gaining access to people’s good names.

    Recently the West Australian Government announced details of a property scam which has presented itself in Western Australia.

    Police are investigating a scam in which properties are sold by fraudsters without the knowledge of the overseas-based owners. Last year, Wembley Downs retiree Roger Mildenhall had his Karrinyup investment property sold without knowing anything about it. But more recently, it is alleged that Nigerian-based scammers sold a Ballajura property without the owners’ knowledge.

    “A couple returning from overseas have advised authorities that their property has been sold without their knowledge or consent and a joint investigation has been launched.

    The previous owners were living and working overseas at the time and didn’t discover the property had been sold until they recently returned to Perth to inspect the property.

    The real estate agent involved has told investigators that he received a phone call from a man claiming to be the owner in February this year inquiring about the property. Shortly after, the agent received an urgent request to sell the property as funds were needed for a business investment, later revealed to be a supposed petro-chemical project,” Landgate announced in a statement earlier this month.

    The West Australian Newspaper last week reported the WA Government has upgraded its security measures for overseas-based property owners.

    “WA property owners living abroad who are concerned about identity theft can now lodge a caveat over their property to reduce the risk of being targeted by scammers, under a raft of anti-fraud measures introduced by Landgate.

    Lands Minister Brendon Grylls said yesterday Landgate would expand its TitleWatch service so homeowners can receive email alerts notifying them of any activity on the title deeds of their nominated property. Overseas-based property owners can pay $160 to lodge a new caveat on their property to prevent registration of a change of ownership, mortgage or lease.

    They could remove the caveat only by attending Landgate’s Midland office in person and completing a 100-point identity check, Mr Grylls said…
    Under the range of increased security measures, all transfers of land executed overseas will now require a 100-point identity check, signatures to be witnessed by an Australian Consular officer and the sales will need to be independently checked by at least two senior Landgate officers.

    “It is important that we continue to move to ensure that a person’s No. 1 asset is protected,” Mr Grylls said.

    Property owners and Real Estate agents in every state need to be aware that overseas-based property scams are occurring, and to arm themselves with preventative measures to protect against identity fraud.

    The other property scam to watch out for is the fake rental property scam. The ACCC’s SCAMwatch website warns individuals about responding to property advertisements, as there have been reported incidents of scams in the community.

    “SCAMwatch is warning prospective tenants to be wary when responding to rental properties advertised on the net where the ‘owner’ makes various excuses as to why you can’t inspect the property but insists on an upfront payment for rent or deposit.

    Scammers will often use various shared accommodation sites to post these fake listings. They will go to great lengths to ensure that the offer looks genuine by including photos and real addresses of properties. However, photos and details of properties can be easily obtained on the internet.

    Once hooked, the scammer will request money, often via money transfer, or personal details upfront to ‘secure’ the rental property. SCAMwatch warns consumers not to send money or provide personal details to people you don’t know and trust.”

    Long term affect for victims

    Fraudsters now see personal information as a valuable commodity. Many are able to use that information to take out credit in the victim’s name. Often the victim is not alerted to the misuse of their credit file for some time, often not until they attempt to obtain credit themselves. By then, victims may have credit applications as a minimum and possibly defaults, mortgages and mobile phones attributed to them incorrectly.

    Once any account remains unpaid past 60 days, the debt may be listed by the creditor as a default on a person’s credit file. Under current Australian legislation, defaults remain listed on the victim’s credit file for a 5 year period.

    If a victim has defaults on their credit file following identity theft – the defaults still remain there for 5 years. The onus is then on the identity theft victim to prove to creditors they didn’t initiate the debts in their name. If they are unable to prove this, they are virtually blacklisted from obtaining further credit themselves for 5 years.

    It is important for everyone to think twice about who they allow to have access to their personal information, and to verify all transactions are legitimate before handing over their details or any money. SCAMwatch has these suggestions:

    How to protect yourself

    * Insist on inspecting the property- a drive-by is not enough. With these types of scams, the property may genuinely exist, but it is owned by someone else.
    * If it is overseas, ask someone you can trust to make inquiries. If there is a real estate agent or similar in the area they may be able to assist.
    * Do not rely on any information provided to you from anyone recommended by the person advertising the property.
    * An internet search on the name of the person offering the property and their email address may provide useful information.
    * Where possible, avoid paying via money transfer. It is rare to recover money sent this way.
    * There are many share accommodation websites, consider choosing the ones with clear warnings about scams or which offer added protection.
    If you are satisfied that the offer is legitimate and decide to accept it, keep copies of all correspondence, banking details and the listing itself.

    For more information on identity theft prevention, or help with credit repair following identity theft, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs.

    Image: vichie81 / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

     

     

  • Government warning about Facebook scams

    It was only going to be a matter of time before identity thieves would target their victims through scams on social networking site Facebook.

    South Australian Minister for Consumer Affairs, Gail Gago has issued a warning statement for people about new methods of scams which she says are very advanced.

    “Social media has played a role in enabling scammers to disguise themselves as legitimate companies or individuals to persuade victims to hand over money or personal details…With more consumers purchasing goods online, there now is a greater risk that a consumer could become a victim of identity theft. Scammers use this as an opportunity to offer non-existent goods ranging from puppy dogs to motor vehicles to con unsuspecting customers,” she says.

    The Federal Government’s Stay Smart Online explains how scams are perpetrated on Facebook. They say when data is shared between people who know each other, there is a higher level of trust and fraudsters are taking advantage of this. They try and get victims to click on links or give over information. Ultimately the purpose is to generate revenue for the fraudsters; they may use a number of techniques including using malicious software to take control over your computer, and/or steal people’s information.

    Not widely known, is just how far fraudsters may be able to go with the information they receive from their unsuspecting victims. Bank account or credit card details, when received in conjunction with the other information displayed on social networking sites like Facebook can end up being a recipe for disaster for people’s credit ratings.

    Fraudsters may be able to use those details to take out credit in the victim’s name. Identity fraud can often go undetected, until the victim applies for credit and is refused due to defaults they had no idea about.

    Credit rating defaults stick for 5 years, and for anyone who has lived with a black mark on their credit file, they are virtually banned from most credit for 5 years. This includes major credit through to mobile phone plans.

    Just because someone claims to be a victim of identity theft, it doesn’t automatically guarantee they will have their good name restored. Lengthy negotiation with creditors often ensues, with the victim requiring copious amounts of evidence and usually police reports to prove the case of identity theft.

    So it is important to heed the almost daily warnings of scams we hear about, in order to stay one step ahead of what can be a very damaging crime.

    The Premier’s office cites these top five scams reported in South Australia for the last financial year:

    • Computer (PC) virus checks: An individual phones, claiming they are a certified computer engineer and convinces the consumer their computer has a virus. The consumer allows the scammer access to their hard-drive leaving personal details exposed.

    • “Nigerian” and similar scams: Consumers are promised huge rewards if they help someone to transfer money out of their country by paying fees or releasing their bank account details.

    • Overseas lotteries: Consumers receive a letter from an overseas lottery or sweepstakes company claiming the consumer has won money or prizes, and then asks the consumer to pay a fee to release the winnings, or to provide personal details.

    • False billing (blowing): Targets small businesses who receive a bogus bill for a listing or advertisement of their business in a publication they never appeared in.

    • Employment scams: Consumers are offered employment in non-existent markets. Scammers claim CVs will be considered upon payment of a fee to process the application, with the consumer usually not receiving a response and being left out of pocket.

    Consumers are urged to report any suspected scam to the ACCC via the SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au or call the information line on 1300 302 502.

    We recommend all internet users subscribe to the government’s Stay Smart Online alerts for advice on new scams and viruses which may affect their computer and threaten their good name.

    If people have already been a victim of a scam, and they want help with credit repair, contact MyCRA Credit Repairs. We permanently remove defaults from credit files.

    Image: Master isolated / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

  • NATIONAL CONSUMER FRAUD WEEK – SCAMS: IT’S PERSONAL

    This week has been National Consumer Fraud week, and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) have themed this year as ‘Scams: It’s Personal’.

    “While the overall financial cost of scams is high, we should not overlook the personal toll experienced by individuals who fall victim to these crimes.” Deputy Chairman of ACCC Peter Kell said.

    As anyone who has ever been a victim of identity theft or scams of any form will tell you – the cost is huge both emotionally and financially. And it is damn personal.

    Once some innocent person has taken the bait, fraudsters have the opportunity to financially ruin their victims.

    In my line of work I deal every day with people who have defaults on their credit file. Defaults remain on someone’s file for 5 years unless they are removed due to the help of a credit file repairer.

    Identity theft and scam victims have no easier time having the defaults removed from their file. They still have to fight tooth and nail to prove themselves, and still may only have the defaults marked as ‘paid’.

    MyCRA works hard every day to help people in these situations get their finances and their lives back on track after they have been victims of fraud by helping to get those defaults removed.

    However, prevention is better than the cure.

    We recommend consumers go to the ACCC website http://www.accc.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/815401

    Sign up to scam WATCH which has a host of relevant information, including details of current scams in AUSTRALIA. Read the ACCC’s book The little black book of scams which highlights the latest scams and how to go about protecting yourself.

    Be educated about scams in your every day dealings both on and off-line and help educate your family and friends.

    If you have been scammed – don’t be embarrassed– report it straight away.

    Consider yourself fighting if not for yourself but for the next person they may not scam because you have blown the whistle.

    Stay safe everyone!