Australians lose nearly 65 mln USD to scams in 2014: report

Over 90,000 Australians have reported scam complaints to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), with more than 81 million AU dollars ( 64.8 million U.S. dollars) reported lost, said a new report by ACCC released on Monday.

Targeting Scams Report reveals that 91,637 Australians scam complaints were made to the ACCC last year.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard warned Australians to "get smarter with their data" as stolen personal information underpins almost every scam reported.

"Scammers are stealing not only your money but also your data, which they then use to commit identity theft or to sell to other scammers," Rickard said.

In 2014, online dating scams remained the number one scam for financial losses with almost 28 million (22.4 million U.S. dollars) reported lost - despite making up only 3 percent of all scam reports.

The next highest reported losses were investment fraud and computer prediction software scams, both of which are often dressed up as legitimate investment opportunities. These two scams accounted for 26 percent of reported losses and over 21 million dollars (16.8 million U.S. dollars) lost.

"Increasingly, scammers are using personal information gleaned from social media profiles to target victims for a fraudulent relationship or investment. Scammers are constantly 'phishing' for your personal details such as your name, address and birthdate and this will only increase to as your personal data becomes more valuable to them," Rickard said.

ACCC suggests that Australian lock mailboxes; shred bills and other important document before throwing out; be careful with sharing personal information online, in surveys, or entering competitions; keep mobile devices and computers secure by using password all the time and choosing strong passwords.

The commission especially warns people when being request for details or money, never use the contact details provided in the original request. Instead, people should use phone book or an online search to check the organization's contact details.

ACCC urges Australians to get a copy of their credit reports every year to check that no-one is using their names to borrow money or run up debts. Endi