Fraudsters tend to keep a step ahead of everyone. If you think you understand the problem of fraud and economic crime now, you may see it change by June due to the pandemic’s impact. That’s a finding from the Australian Institute of Criminology‘s report on fraud and its relationship to pandemic and economic crises.
It says the following fuel those changes:
As well, the official data could distort the scale of the problem. This depends on authorities changing how they monitor, police, or regulate fraud.
Fraud involves intentionally using deception or other means to dishonestly gain a benefit or cause a loss. Fraud isn’t the result of error, accident, or carelessness. The National Recovery and Resilience Agency says both employees or external parties, such as service providers, contracts, individual recipients of agency funding, or organised crime groups, can be the perpetrators.
So why do we see more fraud when disasters happen?
Fraudsters see the wake of a catastrophe as an opportunity to defraud others. Generally, they engage in soliciting donations, contractor and vendor fraud, price gouging, property insurance fraud, or forgery.
As a business, here’s what to expect from those who target victims of disasters. ‘Storm chasers’ or ‘disaster chasers’ could:
Ensure whoever you deal with is licensed and they can show you proof, says the Australian Securities & Investments Commission.
For example, during the 2019-20 bushfires, fake fundraisers tried to dupe people using social media accounts such as Global Charity Australian Wildlife and Nature Recovery Fund and the Australian Red Cross Save Australia Official.
After a disaster event such as bushfires or floods, for example, supposedly well-meaning people set up fundraising appeals. They may:
Article supplied by OneAffiniti
Photo by Chris Gallagher on Unsplash
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