[Ally Castillo]

Stay vigilant! This scam has already tricked one man out of $30,000 – don’t be the next victim!​

Recently, we covered a scam that involved Sunrise star, David ‘Kochie’ Koch. The host revealed that he received a fake email about him and The Morning Show host, Larry Emdur.

The headline was intentionally misleading, it read: ‘Breaking News: David James Koch reveals how to profit from the crisis’, and included in the email was a link where people can ‘watch the exclusive interview’. You can read about that story here.

Despite precautions, one man, unfortunately, fell victim to the email scam…

Aussies everywhere are being warned to be wary of emails using a fake advertisement from popular TV personality, David Koch. One man reportedly lost $30,000 already.

Kochie said that the victim had ‘abused’ him on Facebook, claiming he was angry he lost thousands of dollars to his dodgy investment platform. While Kochie does run personal finance courses, he’s warned viewers before not to believe in emails claiming to be him.

Kochie was visibly upset while speaking to the Assistant Treasurer. Credit: Sunrise YouTube

Kochie spoke with Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones live on-air and asked how the government planned to act on the misleading ads.

These scammers are using photos and ‘dodgy’ quotes from popular TV personalities – such as Kochie – to trick people into investing their money in a fake cryptocurrency trading app.

‘Here at Channel Seven, we get sued by you and the ACCC if we run a dodgy ad. Why can’t Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn take the same responsibility as mainstream media groups?’

‘I had a bloke on the weekend contact me through Facebook, abusing me because he had lost $30,000 on a scam that used my picture and dodgy comments from me,’ Kochie revealed during the segment.

The Sunrise host continued: ‘I can do nothing about it.’

Mr Jones quickly responded to Kochie’s question: ‘The law at the moment doesn’t allow for it,’ referring to the lack of regulation when it comes to fake news circulating in social media, and that the government was powerless to act against scammers – mainly because the laws were lagging against the quick advancements in technology.

‘We need to drag it into the 21st Century. Social media platforms need to be accountable for the material they are publishing,’ the Assistant Treasurer continued.

Be careful of phishing emails asking you to click dodgy links. Credit: Tara Winstead in Pexels

Mr Jones continued: ‘If they are told that they have dodgy stuff or unlawful stuff online, which is enabling criminals and they are not taking it down, then there will be fines and penalties that apply.’

He also revealed that they want to work with the banks to ensure that ‘the wallet at the end of the scam will be locked off’. He explained that this enables the government to take action quickly.

Mr Jones also announced that the Albanese government is going to set up a new ‘anti-scam’ centre inside the ACCC, which will fulfil their preventive measures against scams.

He explained that once ‘locked down’ on the scams, the government will then ensure that the social media platforms have a legal obligation to ‘shut these things down at the source’.

Kochie responded with: ‘That is music to my ears.’

He admitted that not only are people losing thousands over these scams, but it also damages his reputation. He also asked the Assistant Treasurer to keep everyone updated.

You can watch the entire interview here:

​

Between January to September of this year, it was reported that Australians lost approximately $424.8 million to scammers.

Experts say that combined losses may reach $4 billion this year. Additionally, investment scams seem to be taking the largest toll on Aussies.

That said, here are some tips to stay safe online:

• Use different passwords for every website and app.
• Check your credit reports for signs of fraudulent activity – or wrong information.
• When uploading any sensitive info to a website portal check for the lock icon (https) – this means that your data is encrypted 'in transit' when it’s uploaded to the website.
• If someone phones you saying they're from Company X – NEVER give out any info to them, unless you know them and are already expecting a call from a specific phone number or person.
• NEVER click on text or email hyperlinks that you don't absolutely know are legitimate. Lots of people get in trouble this way.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using photos and ‘dodgy’ quotes from David Koch to trick people into investing their money in a fake cryptocurrency trading app.
• In a tense on-air showdown with Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones, Kochie asked how the government planned to crack down on the ads.
• Mr Jones admitted the government was still ‘powerless’ to take action against the scammers because the laws were lagging so far behind the technology.
• One of the most common ways Aussies are losing money is through phishing, where a scammer tries to con someone into revealing their identity and other personal information including banking details.

Don’t be fooled by these scams, members! One way to figure out if the email you received is a scam is if it contains typos or grammatical mistakes, and uses American spelling. Another sign is if it asks you to click on a link! Stay vigilant, folks!

 

[Zemo]

Didn't I hear something like "If it sounds too good ... " somewhere? In my in box today, I was informed by the FBI, acting under the aegis of the US Treasury, that I was eligible, as the sole known recipient world wide, that there's a bequest in my favour for $40 million, just sitting there waiting to be claimed.

 

[Suzanne rose]

I don't click on any links or open emails from people I don't know.
I've been receiving an email using a friend's name that is in my email contacts with heading Remember these photos, I never opened the first email thought I would read it at a later time and next thing I was getting more emails and then knew it wasn't my friend.
Now I wonder how they knew my friends name.

 

[Petra]

Well, if a hacker, hacks into my bank account, I do hope he feels so sorry for me and put some $'s in there for me

 

[Ricci]

According to the emails I receive daily I am a millionaire several times over! Such a shame it's not reflected by reality.

 

[maxesmum]

$30,000??? Seriously? He didn’t catch on after he lost the first,I dunno,the first $1,00.00? Sounds like greed to me. While I’m sorry he lost his money,it’s sound like gross stupidity to me!

 

[JayKay]

It appears you get caught when you are vulnerable, so stay vigilant everyone.
Be safe and wealthy (!).

 

[Nana Zorak]

There is always someone eager to scam you these days. I just don't open anything I am not sure of & I don't answer calls from an unknown number. All my friends, family & important numbers come up with their names so I know who it is. Any others usually ring off too soon to be a true call.

 

[MotherGoose]

There are two basic reasons that scams work. One is compassion (such as an appeal to help a family member). But by far the bigger one is GREED.

 

[Goodbloke]

Would love to have a lazy $30,000 I could toss away, sadly no.

 

[Macarj]

Didn't I hear something like "If it sounds too good ... " somewhere? In my in box today, I was informed by the FBI, acting under the aegis of the US Treasury, that I was eligible, as the sole known recipient world wide, that there a bequest in my favour for $40 million, just sitting there waiting to be claimed.

I've had one of those emails it was that I had 10million dollars coming to me from a will they wanted my bank a/c details to deposit the money. I sent back to the so called lawyer just send me a cheque never got a reply

 

[Door Knob]

Nearly scammed. Seniors beware.

I responded to an advertisement on SDC , regarding best interest rates on Term Deposits etc. I filled in the form on the internet and was contacted by a man from the Commonwealth Bank in Sydney. He offered me 4% interest on IBD for 6months or 4.5% for 12months. I told him I needed some proof of these rates etc. He emailed a 15 page prospectus with all the details, it all looked legitimate. He answered all my questions and was very helpful. I checked with my accountant and he said that it was a very good rate. Before I transferred my money, I thought I would check with my local Commonwealth Bank to see if they could match this rate. They couldn‘t, & when I showed them the email, they checked the name and signature with their employee data base in Sydney. Yes, the name was an employee in Sydney however he was in the media dept. and not in banking. The bank clerk rang this employee in Sydney. He said it’s a scam this guy has been impersonating him and has scammed a number of people into parting with their money believing it is going into a Term Deposit with the Commonwealth Bank. We immediately contacted the fraud Department and sent the details & email to them.. IT IS A SCAM DON’T DEAL WITH HIM

 

[Tipsy]

Didn't I hear something like "If it sounds too good ... " somewhere? In my in box today, I was informed by the FBI, acting under the aegis of the US Treasury, that I was eligible, as the sole known recipient world wide, that there's a bequest in my favour for $40 million, just sitting there waiting to be claimed.

I get one of those type of emails at least once a week, I have a giggle and send to my spam section so that any repeat emails follow suit and get deleted....

 

[Jennylolo]

had a phone call today - no-one answered when I said hello and the number was in my state. A taped message from Amazon Prime saying my subs were due required me to update details. What a joke- I don't have Amazon Prime to start with. They really randomly call numbers.

 

[Zemo]

had a phone call today - no-one answered when I said hello and the number was in my state. A taped message from Amazon Prime saying my subs were due required me to update details. What a joke- I don't have Amazon Prime to start with. They really randomly call numbers.

The pregnant pause at the start (when/if it's a "live" call) is a dead-set giveaway. Sometimes there'll be crowd noises in the background. I just give them a short, sharp, low laugh. Invariably, there'll be one of two reactions: h/sh/it will hang up or h/sh/it will want to know "Why you laugh?" Then I place the phone in front of a radio playing at a fairly high volume. Works every time ...

 

[Jennylolo]

The pregnant pause at the start (when/if it's a "live" call) is a dead-set giveaway. Sometimes there'll be crowd noises in the background. I just give them a short, sharp, low laugh. Invariably, there'll be one of two reactions: h/sh/it will hang up or h/sh/it will want to know "Why you laugh?" Then I place the phone in front of a radio playing at a fairly high volume. Works every time ...

I often say something or laugh or state I will report them, but it was taped, no actual person

 

[Tipsy]

Stay vigilant! This scam has already tricked one man out of $30,000 – don’t be the next victim!​

Recently, we covered a scam that involved Sunrise star, David ‘Kochie’ Koch. The host revealed that he received a fake email about him and The Morning Show host, Larry Emdur.

The headline was intentionally misleading, it read: ‘Breaking News: David James Koch reveals how to profit from the crisis’, and included in the email was a link where people can ‘watch the exclusive interview’. You can read about that story here.

Despite precautions, one man, unfortunately, fell victim to the email scam…

Aussies everywhere are being warned to be wary of emails using a fake advertisement from popular TV personality, David Koch. One man reportedly lost $30,000 already.

Kochie said that the victim had ‘abused’ him on Facebook, claiming he was angry he lost thousands of dollars to his dodgy investment platform. While Kochie does run personal finance courses, he’s warned viewers before not to believe in emails claiming to be him.

View attachment 8954

Kochie was visibly upset while speaking to the Assistant Treasurer. Credit: Sunrise YouTube

Kochie spoke with Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones live on-air and asked how the government planned to act on the misleading ads.

These scammers are using photos and ‘dodgy’ quotes from popular TV personalities – such as Kochie – to trick people into investing their money in a fake cryptocurrency trading app.

‘Here at Channel Seven, we get sued by you and the ACCC if we run a dodgy ad. Why can’t Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn take the same responsibility as mainstream media groups?’

‘I had a bloke on the weekend contact me through Facebook, abusing me because he had lost $30,000 on a scam that used my picture and dodgy comments from me,’ Kochie revealed during the segment.

The Sunrise host continued: ‘I can do nothing about it.’

Mr Jones quickly responded to Kochie’s question: ‘The law at the moment doesn’t allow for it,’ referring to the lack of regulation when it comes to fake news circulating in social media, and that the government was powerless to act against scammers – mainly because the laws were lagging against the quick advancements in technology.

‘We need to drag it into the 21st Century. Social media platforms need to be accountable for the material they are publishing,’ the Assistant Treasurer continued.

View attachment 8955

Be careful of phishing emails asking you to click dodgy links. Credit: Tara Winstead in Pexels

Mr Jones continued: ‘If they are told that they have dodgy stuff or unlawful stuff online, which is enabling criminals and they are not taking it down, then there will be fines and penalties that apply.’

He also revealed that they want to work with the banks to ensure that ‘the wallet at the end of the scam will be locked off’. He explained that this enables the government to take action quickly.

Mr Jones also announced that the Albanese government is going to set up a new ‘anti-scam’ centre inside the ACCC, which will fulfil their preventive measures against scams.

He explained that once ‘locked down’ on the scams, the government will then ensure that the social media platforms have a legal obligation to ‘shut these things down at the source’.

Kochie responded with: ‘That is music to my ears.’

He admitted that not only are people losing thousands over these scams, but it also damages his reputation. He also asked the Assistant Treasurer to keep everyone updated.

You can watch the entire interview here:

​

Between January to September of this year, it was reported that Australians lost approximately $424.8 million to scammers.

Experts say that combined losses may reach $4 billion this year. Additionally, investment scams seem to be taking the largest toll on Aussies.

That said, here are some tips to stay safe online:

• Use different passwords for every website and app.
• Check your credit reports for signs of fraudulent activity – or wrong information.
• When uploading any sensitive info to a website portal check for the lock icon (https) – this means that your data is encrypted 'in transit' when it’s uploaded to the website.
• If someone phones you saying they're from Company X – NEVER give out any info to them, unless you know them and are already expecting a call from a specific phone number or person.
• NEVER click on text or email hyperlinks that you don't absolutely know are legitimate. Lots of people get in trouble this way.

Key Takeaways

• Scammers are using photos and ‘dodgy’ quotes from David Koch to trick people into investing their money in a fake cryptocurrency trading app.
• In a tense on-air showdown with Assistant Treasurer Stephen Jones, Kochie asked how the government planned to crack down on the ads.
• Mr Jones admitted the government was still ‘powerless’ to take action against the scammers because the laws were lagging so far behind the technology.
• One of the most common ways Aussies are losing money is through phishing, where a scammer tries to con someone into revealing their identity and other personal information including banking details.

Don’t be fooled by these scams, members! One way to figure out if the email you received is a scam is if it contains typos or grammatical mistakes, and uses American spelling. Another sign is if it asks you to click on a link! Stay vigilant, folks!

Face Book market place is where you will find a lot of the scams,as FB received payments for the adds so will not check them out ...A "SPONSERED" ADD is a good sign especially when it has a picture of a so-called celebrity..... doing your due diligence on these before buying anything will sometimes help, also CHECKING the PRICE of an article in the real world will give you the idea of "Its looks 2 good to be true"

 

[MotherGoose]

The pregnant pause at the start (when/if it's a "live" call) is a dead-set giveaway. Sometimes there'll be crowd noises in the background. I just give them a short, sharp, low laugh. Invariably, there'll be one of two reactions: h/sh/it will hang up or h/sh/it will want to know "Why you laugh?" Then I place the phone in front of a radio playing at a fairly high volume. Works every time ...

You are right about the pregnant pause. However, instead of giving them a short, sharp, low laugh, the pregnant pause gives me enough time to grab my whistle and I give them a long, sharp, loud and shrill burst.

 

[Stanier123]

The greedy are more susceptible to scams than anyone. If someone promises an unrealistic return do you believe them? If it were so good why tell you? They would borrow heaps and invest themselves. Why bother with you? You are not that special.

Is being stupid a profession or are you gifted.

 

[Defiant540]

Didn't I hear something like "If it sounds too good ... " somewhere? In my in box today, I was informed by the FBI, acting under the aegis of the US Treasury, that I was eligible, as the sole known recipient world wide, that there's a bequest in my favour for $40 million, just sitting there waiting to be claimed.

never in a million years!