In the quiet suburbs of Adelaide’s west, a new threat has emerged, not from the internet or overseas, but right at the doorstep of unsuspecting homeowners.

Unscrupulous scammers have taken to door-knocking, exploiting the goodwill of the community under the guise of collecting donations for alleged cancer research.

Ashlee Megan, a resident of West Beach, shared her unsettling encounter with two young men in their 20s who knocked on her door in November 2023.

Dressed in pink uniforms, carrying ID cards and paperwork, they seemed legitimate at first glance.

Scammers were pretending to be members of the BCNA to falsely solicit funds. Credit: Breast Cancer Network Australia Facebook

They asked Megan if she knew anyone diagnosed with cancer and requested a monthly donation of under $100 to their organisation.

However, when Megan declined to provide her credit card details, the men became forceful, insisting she inspect their ID cards.

This raised Megan's suspicions, and she refused to comply.

She wasn't alone in her experience; other residents in Adelaide's western suburbs reported similar encounters, leading them to believe that the door knockers might be from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).

However, BCNA confirmed that it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising, and the individuals seeking donations were not associated with them.

It was previously confirmed in a statement that this scam happens in other parts of the country, like Queensland and ACT.

'It’s recently come to our attention [that there are] people claiming to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) knocking on doors in South Australia and asking for donations,' the company stated.

'Throughout the year, fundraising activities for our network do vary, however, in line with BCNA policy, this does not involve door-to-door activity.'

‘There are some charities that do face-to-face fundraising, so it is recommended that you ask for proper ID, including a photo from anyone requesting donations for a charity.’

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had previously warned of similar scams in 2014, where companies posed as registered charities to solicit donations.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation, which does engage in door-knocking activities, advised people always to check the ID of volunteers and ask for a receipt with the charity's Australian Business Number (ABN).

Meanwhile, South Australia Police urged residents to report any suspicious activity, providing descriptions of the individuals, any vehicles, and their direction of travel.

'Legitimate volunteers will have proper identification, including a photo which clearly identifies them as being a volunteer for that charity,' they said.

'If in doubt, contact the charity directly, using a number that you look up, not one provided by the “volunteer”.’

Megan's experience is a stark reminder of the audacity of scammers and the importance of vigilance.

'It’s a bit confronting to think they’ve been knocking on my door. You always imagine scammers being someone over the internet or someone overseas trying to steal your money, not someone standing in front of you,' Megan said.

‘They don’t care about the person they’re taking from. It’s a different mentality.’

Official data revealed that Australians lost a staggering $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, with a significant portion of these losses attributed to fake charity appeals.

Scammers are known to exploit people's genuine concern for others in their community, as was the case during the Black Summer bushfires. The surge of fake bushfire charities preyed upon Australians' goodwill and willingness to help out their fellow citizens.

You can read more about it here.

Tip

If you or someone else was scammed, notify your bank immediately. You can also report the scam to Scamwatch here.
You can also head over to our Scam Watch forum to stay updated with the latest tricks scammers use to deceive people out of their money and sensitive details.

Key Takeaways

• Adelaide residents have reported scammers door-knocking and requesting credit card details for supposed donations to breast cancer research.
• The scammers, dressed in pink and equipped with ID cards, falsely claimed to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), which has confirmed it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising.
• The National Breast Cancer Foundation advised checking the ID of volunteers and always asking for a receipt with the charity's ABN to avoid falling for scams.
• South Australia Police urged residents to be vigilant, verify the legitimacy of charity volunteers by contacting the charity directly, and report any suspicious activity to the police.

Have you encountered a door-to-door scam? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Let's help each other stay safe!

 

[Petra]

People just don't get it. I don't talk to strangers at my door, or on a phone. If I call a maintenance person, or the guy who mows my lawn, to them I talk to, and they don't ask me for anything. The rest can go and f themselves. I tell them to leave or I'll call the police.

 

[Jan Purcell]

Don't ever give to strangers that come to your door.

 

[marni]

In the quiet suburbs of Adelaide’s west, a new threat has emerged, not from the internet or overseas, but right at the doorstep of unsuspecting homeowners.

Unscrupulous scammers have taken to door-knocking, exploiting the goodwill of the community under the guise of collecting donations for alleged cancer research.

Ashlee Megan, a resident of West Beach, shared her unsettling encounter with two young men in their 20s who knocked on her door in November 2023.

Dressed in pink uniforms, carrying ID cards and paperwork, they seemed legitimate at first glance.

View attachment 40088

Scammers were pretending to be members of the BCNA to falsely solicit funds. Credit: Breast Cancer Network Australia Facebook

They asked Megan if she knew anyone diagnosed with cancer and requested a monthly donation of under $100 to their organisation.

However, when Megan declined to provide her credit card details, the men became forceful, insisting she inspect their ID cards.

This raised Megan's suspicions, and she refused to comply.

She wasn't alone in her experience; other residents in Adelaide's western suburbs reported similar encounters, leading them to believe that the door knockers might be from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).

However, BCNA confirmed that it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising, and the individuals seeking donations were not associated with them.

It was previously confirmed in a statement that this scam happens in other parts of the country, like Queensland and ACT.

'It’s recently come to our attention [that there are] people claiming to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) knocking on doors in South Australia and asking for donations,' the company stated.

'Throughout the year, fundraising activities for our network do vary, however, in line with BCNA policy, this does not involve door-to-door activity.'

‘There are some charities that do face-to-face fundraising, so it is recommended that you ask for proper ID, including a photo from anyone requesting donations for a charity.’

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had previously warned of similar scams in 2014, where companies posed as registered charities to solicit donations.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation, which does engage in door-knocking activities, advised people always to check the ID of volunteers and ask for a receipt with the charity's Australian Business Number (ABN).

Meanwhile, South Australia Police urged residents to report any suspicious activity, providing descriptions of the individuals, any vehicles, and their direction of travel.

'Legitimate volunteers will have proper identification, including a photo which clearly identifies them as being a volunteer for that charity,' they said.

'If in doubt, contact the charity directly, using a number that you look up, not one provided by the “volunteer”.’

Megan's experience is a stark reminder of the audacity of scammers and the importance of vigilance.

'It’s a bit confronting to think they’ve been knocking on my door. You always imagine scammers being someone over the internet or someone overseas trying to steal your money, not someone standing in front of you,' Megan said.

‘They don’t care about the person they’re taking from. It’s a different mentality.’

Official data revealed that Australians lost a staggering $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, with a significant portion of these losses attributed to fake charity appeals.

Scammers are known to exploit people's genuine concern for others in their community, as was the case during the Black Summer bushfires. The surge of fake bushfire charities preyed upon Australians' goodwill and willingness to help out their fellow citizens.

You can read more about it here.

Tip

If you or someone else was scammed, call 000 and notify your bank immediately. You can also report the scam to Scamwatch here.
You can also head over to our Scam Watch forum to stay updated with the latest tricks scammers use to deceive people out of their money and sensitive details.

Key Takeaways

• Adelaide residents have reported scammers door-knocking and requesting credit card details for supposed donations to breast cancer research.
• The scammers, dressed in pink and equipped with ID cards, falsely claimed to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), which has confirmed it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising.
• The National Breast Cancer Foundation advised checking the ID of volunteers and always asking for a receipt with the charity's ABN to avoid falling for scams.
• South Australia Police urged residents to be vigilant, verify the legitimacy of charity volunteers by contacting the charity directly, and report any suspicious activity to the police.

Have you encountered a door-to-door scam? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Let's help each other stay safe!

 

[June E]

I had 2 come just yesterday collecting for a different disease I got rid of them quick smart. I would have thought companies had stopped door to door requests because of the scammers. Who in there right minds these days would give their bank details to a stranger at the door !

 

[SUTHERS]

In the quiet suburbs of Adelaide’s west, a new threat has emerged, not from the internet or overseas, but right at the doorstep of unsuspecting homeowners.

Unscrupulous scammers have taken to door-knocking, exploiting the goodwill of the community under the guise of collecting donations for alleged cancer research.

Ashlee Megan, a resident of West Beach, shared her unsettling encounter with two young men in their 20s who knocked on her door in November 2023.

Dressed in pink uniforms, carrying ID cards and paperwork, they seemed legitimate at first glance.

View attachment 40088

Scammers were pretending to be members of the BCNA to falsely solicit funds. Credit: Breast Cancer Network Australia Facebook

They asked Megan if she knew anyone diagnosed with cancer and requested a monthly donation of under $100 to their organisation.

However, when Megan declined to provide her credit card details, the men became forceful, insisting she inspect their ID cards.

This raised Megan's suspicions, and she refused to comply.

She wasn't alone in her experience; other residents in Adelaide's western suburbs reported similar encounters, leading them to believe that the door knockers might be from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).

However, BCNA confirmed that it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising, and the individuals seeking donations were not associated with them.

It was previously confirmed in a statement that this scam happens in other parts of the country, like Queensland and ACT.

'It’s recently come to our attention [that there are] people claiming to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) knocking on doors in South Australia and asking for donations,' the company stated.

'Throughout the year, fundraising activities for our network do vary, however, in line with BCNA policy, this does not involve door-to-door activity.'

‘There are some charities that do face-to-face fundraising, so it is recommended that you ask for proper ID, including a photo from anyone requesting donations for a charity.’

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had previously warned of similar scams in 2014, where companies posed as registered charities to solicit donations.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation, which does engage in door-knocking activities, advised people always to check the ID of volunteers and ask for a receipt with the charity's Australian Business Number (ABN).

Meanwhile, South Australia Police urged residents to report any suspicious activity, providing descriptions of the individuals, any vehicles, and their direction of travel.

'Legitimate volunteers will have proper identification, including a photo which clearly identifies them as being a volunteer for that charity,' they said.

'If in doubt, contact the charity directly, using a number that you look up, not one provided by the “volunteer”.’

Megan's experience is a stark reminder of the audacity of scammers and the importance of vigilance.

'It’s a bit confronting to think they’ve been knocking on my door. You always imagine scammers being someone over the internet or someone overseas trying to steal your money, not someone standing in front of you,' Megan said.

‘They don’t care about the person they’re taking from. It’s a different mentality.’

Official data revealed that Australians lost a staggering $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, with a significant portion of these losses attributed to fake charity appeals.

Scammers are known to exploit people's genuine concern for others in their community, as was the case during the Black Summer bushfires. The surge of fake bushfire charities preyed upon Australians' goodwill and willingness to help out their fellow citizens.

You can read more about it here.

Tip

If you or someone else was scammed, notify your bank immediately. You can also report the scam to Scamwatch here.
You can also head over to our Scam Watch forum to stay updated with the latest tricks scammers use to deceive people out of their money and sensitive details.

Key Takeaways

• Adelaide residents have reported scammers door-knocking and requesting credit card details for supposed donations to breast cancer research.
• The scammers, dressed in pink and equipped with ID cards, falsely claimed to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), which has confirmed it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising.
• The National Breast Cancer Foundation advised checking the ID of volunteers and always asking for a receipt with the charity's ABN to avoid falling for scams.
• South Australia Police urged residents to be vigilant, verify the legitimacy of charity volunteers by contacting the charity directly, and report any suspicious activity to the police.

Have you encountered a door-to-door scam? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Let's help each other stay safe!

 

[SUTHERS]

False emails pretending to be from The Lott (mistakenly posted this in the Scamwatch updates sorry)

If you play Tattslotto or Powerball, etc, be careful. I recently received an email with the same heading logos from The Lott. It said I’d won $22. I didn’t read it properly when it arrived. When I went to my newsagency to pick up another small prize I’d won in December, I was surprised that the $22 didn’t come up on my Tatts Card.
Reading the email again, it was obviously a phishing scam. It said my winnings would be deposited in my account, ending in four digits, nothing like my account number. There was a number and email that I was supposed to call to give them my account details.
Luckily I’d received other legitimate emails from The Lott and knew they didn’t look like this.
My email address was obviously in one of last year’s data breaches, but thankfully no other details.
We have to be vigilant all the time, which is such a shame.

 

[Knell]

Door knockers do not meet the nice me, that's for sure. Especially JW!

 

[Colette 3799]

We had the exact same experience last year. My husband said “there’s a lovely young girl at the door asking for donations for breast cancer research. I gave her my driving licence details and she needs our bank account details so I can donate each month”. I was out there quick smart! She argued with me about how she had id from “the government”. I said I don’t care what id you have you are not getting our bank account details and you are deleting my husbands driving licence details right now. If we choose to donate we will contact the cancer research people directly and not through some random going door to door! I’m not usually that rude but she got stroppy with me first lol

 

[Toni Wrinkles]

In the quiet suburbs of Adelaide’s west, a new threat has emerged, not from the internet or overseas, but right at the doorstep of unsuspecting homeowners.

Unscrupulous scammers have taken to door-knocking, exploiting the goodwill of the community under the guise of collecting donations for alleged cancer research.

Ashlee Megan, a resident of West Beach, shared her unsettling encounter with two young men in their 20s who knocked on her door in November 2023.

Dressed in pink uniforms, carrying ID cards and paperwork, they seemed legitimate at first glance.

View attachment 40088

Scammers were pretending to be members of the BCNA to falsely solicit funds. Credit: Breast Cancer Network Australia Facebook

They asked Megan if she knew anyone diagnosed with cancer and requested a monthly donation of under $100 to their organisation.

However, when Megan declined to provide her credit card details, the men became forceful, insisting she inspect their ID cards.

This raised Megan's suspicions, and she refused to comply.

She wasn't alone in her experience; other residents in Adelaide's western suburbs reported similar encounters, leading them to believe that the door knockers might be from Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA).

However, BCNA confirmed that it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising, and the individuals seeking donations were not associated with them.

It was previously confirmed in a statement that this scam happens in other parts of the country, like Queensland and ACT.

'It’s recently come to our attention [that there are] people claiming to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA) knocking on doors in South Australia and asking for donations,' the company stated.

'Throughout the year, fundraising activities for our network do vary, however, in line with BCNA policy, this does not involve door-to-door activity.'

‘There are some charities that do face-to-face fundraising, so it is recommended that you ask for proper ID, including a photo from anyone requesting donations for a charity.’

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had previously warned of similar scams in 2014, where companies posed as registered charities to solicit donations.

The National Breast Cancer Foundation, which does engage in door-knocking activities, advised people always to check the ID of volunteers and ask for a receipt with the charity's Australian Business Number (ABN).

Meanwhile, South Australia Police urged residents to report any suspicious activity, providing descriptions of the individuals, any vehicles, and their direction of travel.

'Legitimate volunteers will have proper identification, including a photo which clearly identifies them as being a volunteer for that charity,' they said.

'If in doubt, contact the charity directly, using a number that you look up, not one provided by the “volunteer”.’

Megan's experience is a stark reminder of the audacity of scammers and the importance of vigilance.

'It’s a bit confronting to think they’ve been knocking on my door. You always imagine scammers being someone over the internet or someone overseas trying to steal your money, not someone standing in front of you,' Megan said.

‘They don’t care about the person they’re taking from. It’s a different mentality.’

Official data revealed that Australians lost a staggering $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, with a significant portion of these losses attributed to fake charity appeals.

Scammers are known to exploit people's genuine concern for others in their community, as was the case during the Black Summer bushfires. The surge of fake bushfire charities preyed upon Australians' goodwill and willingness to help out their fellow citizens.

You can read more about it here.

Tip

If you or someone else was scammed, notify your bank immediately. You can also report the scam to Scamwatch here.
You can also head over to our Scam Watch forum to stay updated with the latest tricks scammers use to deceive people out of their money and sensitive details.

Key Takeaways

• Adelaide residents have reported scammers door-knocking and requesting credit card details for supposed donations to breast cancer research.
• The scammers, dressed in pink and equipped with ID cards, falsely claimed to represent Breast Cancer Network Australia (BCNA), which has confirmed it does not engage in door-to-door fundraising.
• The National Breast Cancer Foundation advised checking the ID of volunteers and always asking for a receipt with the charity's ABN to avoid falling for scams.
• South Australia Police urged residents to be vigilant, verify the legitimacy of charity volunteers by contacting the charity directly, and report any suspicious activity to the police.

Have you encountered a door-to-door scam? Share your experiences and tips in the comments below. Let's help each other stay safe!

WOW how lucky was I, I live on the South Coast of NSW in a little coastal town called Ulladulla and just before Christmas I had this young chap collecting for the Cancer Kids, he said he was giving everyone a heads up that the following couple of days these people would be around collecting and signing people to give, told him I already do online and that I was broke, neither was a lie, didn't feel quite right either I donate when I have a little to give to different charities I have donated to before don't donate over the phone anymore and definitely not at the door. Be careful folks they are getting sneaky as hell

 

[Loubeauxarts]

Makes one wonder what depths are left for these maggots to sink to. They've already burrowed through the pond-scum

 

[Littleboy8]

I get people coming around asking if I want a free shower head or free draught stoppers who say they are working for the govt and can I come in. What the f

 

[Colette 3799]

I get people coming around asking if I want a free shower head or free draught stoppers who say they are working for the govt and can I come in. What the f

We get them all the time. I’m told they are legit, just very persistent and don’t like being told no thank you.

 

[Cuddles3]

I HAVE A NOTICE ON BOTH MY LETTER BOX AND FRONT DOOR ADVISING BOTH LEGITIMATE BUSINESS PEOPLE AND POSSIBLE SCAMMERS TO LEAVE THE PREMISES AT ONCE. SO FAR THE ONLY OFFERS HAVE BEEN LEAFLETS IN THE MAIL BOX.

 

[Littleboy8]

I HAVE A NOTICE ON BOTH MY LETTER BOX AND FRONT DOOR ADVISING BOTH LEGITIMATE BUSINESS PEOPLE AND POSSIBLE SCAMMERS TO LEAVE THE PREMISES AT ONCE. SO FAR THE ONLY OFFERS HAVE BEEN LEAFLETS IN THE MAIL BOX.

Good idea the last one I had wanted to come in and give me free government funded long life bulbs and smoke detectors. My estate agent does my smoke detectors and light bulbs for me free to me.