How to report a Scam or Cyber Crime in Australia
It seems that almost every day there's a new instance of cyber crime being discussed in the news. Almost everyone has experienced or knows someone who's experienced some form of cyber crime. From things as common today as spam and email phishing to more serious computer system attacks such as ransomware or account hacking, every Australian is at risk of the impacts of cyber crime.
Unfortunately while we're all at risk, it's not exactly straight-forward to know what to do when you've been targeted by a cyber criminal and it's even harder to know where to go for help.
Reporting Cyber Crime
In Australia, a national policing agency initiative as ACORN (Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network) has been set up to provide the public with a place to report and get help with cyber crime. The role of ACORN is to perform the following:
- Collect reported events that are capable of being investigated.
- Forward these cases to the relevant Australian police agency for investigation.
- Record data from all reports to guide cyber crime prevention strategies.
Unfortunately due to the volume of cyber crime events only some are able to be investigated by ACORN. It is still important to report these events though as they allow for the relevant government and industry bodies to plan and act against further crimes.
Reporting Scams
Scamwatch is an initiative set up by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to provide information to consumers and small businesses about how to recognise, avoid and report scams. Unlike ACORN, Scamwatch also covers non-cyber scam activities as well as reports of scams not considered criminal. As with ACORN, the events reported to Scamwatch help monitor and take action against scam trends
Getting Help
The world of cyber crime is not common place for many. The not-for-profit IDCARE was specifically setup to provide personalised support to individuals who have been victims of identity theft and cyber crime. Their National Case Management Centre is supported by Identity Security Counsellors who work directly with individuals to provide tailored support free of charge. Working with IDCARE you will:
- Develop an inventory of ‘at risk’ details
- Get a free tailored response plan
- Regain control and get back on track
Call IDCARE on 1300 432 273
Responding as a Business
Whilst these services are free for individuals, the complexity of responding to cyber crime as a business can be much more challenging. If as a business owner or business you have been targeted by cyber criminals, it is important to quickly isolate the event and implement the appropriate response. Sadly it is often only after the fact that we recognise the value of response planning and too often those we've come to rely on can be limited in their ability to fully resolve the issue and assist with handling the business risks.
Cynch Security has been established with the goal of helping businesses targeted by cyber crime respond and get back online as quickly as possible. If you'd like to help with responding as a business, please don't hesitate to get in contact with us.