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Record number of scams hit WA in 2021

Oliver Peterson
Article image for Record number of scams hit WA in 2021

A record number of scams have been reported in 2021, with more than a thousand Western Australian’s falling victim of to online and over the phone scams.

A total of $14,791,708 was lost to scams in the last year, an increase of 27 per cent on 2020.

Commissioner for Consumer Protection, Gary Newcombe, says the figures only cover what has been reported to WA ScamNet.

“These figures are really just the tip of the iceberg because it’s what is reported to us, and there are an awful lot of scams and scam losses that are not reported to us,” he told Oliver Peterson.

The figures are the highest since records started in 2015, with the greatest financial loss being recorded as result of investment cons with a total of $6.67 million.

“There was $2.99million was the reported loss to romance scams,” Mr Newcombe said. “In investment scams, our biggest individual reported loss was $730,000 – so that’s a lot of money lost, and that was on a cryptocurrency scam.”

Press PLAY to hear some tips to avoid being scammed

Oliver Peterson
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