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Watching out for investment scams

The alarming reality

Investment scams are booming. In 2023 alone, Australians lost a staggering $1.3 billion to these fraudulent schemes.^* What’s worse? They’re getting smarter, more sophisticated, and harder to spot. We all have a part to play in staying vigilant and safeguarding our community from these threats.

5 scams to watch out for

Ponzi and Pyramid Schemes: High returns, low risk? It’s probably too good to be true. These schemes rely on these empty promises and thrive by paying their existing investors with new investors’ money, not returns from genuine investment.
Fake Crypto Investments: Beware of social media “gurus” pushing investment opportunities in cryptocurrencies or “next big thing” technologies. Scammers take advantage of crypto’s complexity, promising guaranteed returns or insider tips.
Unlicensed Investment Brokers: These scammers pose as legitimate brokers but lack regulatory approvals, encouraging customers to invest in fake shares or managed funds. Always check credentials. Real pros are licensed.
Superannuation Scams: Fraudsters offer to “manage” or “release” your super early, but instead, they steal your personal and financial information. Your super is sacred. Don’t let anyone “manage” it without thorough vetting.
Phishing and Spoofing: Scammers impersonate financial institutions like DDH Graham, asking for account details or encouraging customers to invest through fake websites. We’ll never ask for your details via email, text, or unsolicited phone calls.

Your financial safety toolkit

To ensure your financial safety, we encourage you to follow these simple steps:

Verify the source: Always ensure an investment opportunity comes from a licensed financial institution. You can verify this through the Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) website.
Be sceptical of unsolicited offers: If you receive an unexpected investment offer through email, phone, or social media, take time to research the company before responding. Never rush into an investment decision.
Guard your personal information: Do not provide personal or banking information to anyone claiming to represent DDH Graham, unless you are certain the call is regarding a recent request you have made to us. If in doubt, call back on our official telephone line (07) 3229 6133.
Use secure methods: Avoid clicking on links or downloading attachments from unsolicited emails or messages. Instead, visit our official website directly and contact us on our official contact channels.
Monitor your accounts regularly: Keep an eye on your financial accounts for any unusual activity and report suspicious transactions to us immediately on (07) 3229 6133 or via the contact information available on our official website.

Our promise to you

At DDH, we’re committed to keeping your investments safe. Remember, we will NEVER:

Ask you for your banking details over SMS, email, or unsolicited phone calls;
Ask you to transfer funds via SMS, email, or unsolicited phone calls; or
Ask you to login to your accounts to perform any activity not related to an ongoing request or something that was directly initiated by you.

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