Fake Charity Scams In Australia Skyrockets In Times Of Crisis

Australians are being warned to be cautious of online scams in light of the current flood disaster as several cybercriminals are taking advantage of the situation.

According to Westpac, a typical tactic used by online scammers is to set up fake donation sites to pose as relief funds for the recent flood victims.

Chris Whittingham, Westpac’s General Manager of Fraud Prevention and Financial Crime said, “with the current floods crisis, scammers will try to take advantage of Australians’ generosity and support by setting up fake donation sites, or even posing as insurers, businesses, or government organisations offering help to the victims themselves.”

“We are urging people to be on high alert to the possibility of scams and closely check that any websites or charitable organisations are legitimate before sending funds or your personal information,” he added.

Mr. Whittingham said the scammers are deliberately trying to establish an emotional connection with Australians so that they can get as much money from them as possible.

“Time and time again, following a significant event or natural disaster, we see an increase in people being duped by scams, for example, after the devastating 2020 bushfires,” he explained.

“This is a tactic fraudsters have continued to adopt throughout the pandemic where scams have almost tripled, exploiting the hearts and wallets of those experiencing hardship, or who have sought out items in high demand, like Rapid Antigen Tests.”

Scamwatch advises Aussies to make sure they only donate to a legitimate charity which you can find out by checking that it is registered on the national register, which can be searched here. 

5 Good Reason Why Personal Branding is Crucial To Career Success

Living in a digital world, it is incredibly important to focus on your personal branding. Your brand is something that will get people to talk about you. It’s what inspires people to turn to you for the particular expertise that you offer. Your personal branding is how others view you, making a significant difference in the likelihood of job prospects or selling your products or services. This will look at the top 5 reasons why personal branding is so crucial to your success.

  1. Building an Audience

In a digital world, your audience will actually determine your value to other potential customers. For instance, imagine a popular YouTuber. A good YouTuber, one that has a solid fanbase, has a massive audience. This audience attracts new people to their audience. The same applies in the business world. People will see your value thanks to your personal branding, which means that they will be more likely to hire you or trust you to provide the quality products or services that they are looking for. Once you build an audience, you can leverage them to be more successful.

  1. Have a Competitive Edge

There is a lot of competition in the digital age, so having a strong personal brand can give you the competitive edge that you need to stand out. They want to trust someone who is an authority in their specific field. You get the credibility that you need that will make customers more likely to trust you to offer the solutions they are looking for. A strong personal branding makes you more valuable than your competition, who may not have as strong of a personal brand.

  1. Create Relationships

Connecting with other people is so important these days. You need to network and market yourself to be more attractive to prospects. Through personal branding, you can connect with other people. As you connect with people and form relationships, you can spend time nurturing these relationships. Through developing relationships and focusing on them, you create creating loyalty to your brand and increase the chances of people returning to you for your products and services.

  1. Better Networking Abilities

These days, networking is so important no matter what your industry is. If you have strong personal branding, you will be more likely to get invited to events that allow you to connect and network with others. These events can often be so important to being successful and climbing the career ladder.

  1. Better Opportunities

Probably most importantly, personal branding can unlock amazing opportunities for you. After you have created an audience, built up your authority in the industry, and formed relationships, you can start unlocking better opportunities. You can capitalize on your personal branding to get a better job, achieve your goals of being an influencer, or start getting more sales.

Personal branding is essential to helping you become more successful and advance your career. This is why it’s so important to focus on building a strong personal brand.