Seniors are being targeted by scammers through a fake website requesting money and multiple forms of personal identification. In some instances, scammers are calling the elderly and offering the discount card and asking for personal information over the phone.
How this scam works
- Fake websites/cold phone calls claiming to supply senior discount card membership for a fee.
- Fraudulent websites are charging around $29 (application processing fee) for the discount card and allege to be “officially approved”.
- Scammers steal personal information and use this on other platforms to commit identify fraud.
What to look out for
- Seniors card membership is free of charge and so seniors should never be asked to pay a membership or application fee.
- If you are being asked for bank, credit card, PayPal details (or any other personal information) in exchange for membership then this is a scam.
Top tips to avoid scams
- STOP – take your time before providing any personal information.
- THINK – ask yourself if the message could be fake?
- PROTECT – act quickly if something feels wrong. If you have provided information, contact IDCARE (on 1800 595 160) and report scams to Scamwatch.
Alternatively, call us immediately on 1300 36 2000.
