Get one free call to our Employee Relations Helpline. Find out more.

Our Business Services

Chamber of Commerce & Industry WA

With over 130 years of experience representing WA businesses, we’re ready to help with the resources and advice you need to succeed.

Employee Relations Helpline

Employee Relations Helpline

Get timely, reliable and practical employee relations advice on employment laws, the awards system and other human resource matters. CCIWA Members get unlimited access.

Legal Services

Legal Services

Our team of experienced, client-focused business lawyers offer a full range of Commercial Law & Employment Law services for all your essential legal needs.

Accounting & Taxation Services

Optima Partners and CCIWA

Innovative and personalised accounting, taxation and business advisory services that focus on delivering the best results to help your business grow.

Workplace Health & Safety Services

Workplace Health & Safety Services

Unlock the potential of your business with our suite of staff training and development programs, crafted by workplace relations experts and tailored to your business needs.

Construction & Mining IR Services

Construction & Mining IR Services

We offer extensive, independent and practical industrial and labour relations support to the engineering, construction and mining industries.

Workplace Training & Development

Workplace Training & Development

Unlock the potential of your business with our suite of staff training and development programs, crafted by workplace relations experts and tailored to your business needs.

Apprenticeship Support Australia WA

Apprenticeship Support Australia WA

Our dedicated team specialises in assisting employers maximise the benefits of investing in apprenticeships and traineeships to build local skills for the diverse WA workforce. Our team of experts will provide all the advice, support and services you need — free of charge.

Work Integrated Learning – Internships

Work Integrated Learning - Internships

Tap into WA’s future workforce with our Work Integrated Learning – Internships program. This free service facilitates university student work experience placements for your business.

Industry Capability Network WA

Industry Capability Network WA

Connecting your business with mining, construction, infrastructure, defence and other major projects using the ICN Gateway.

International Trade Services

International Trade Services

Take your business global using our comprehensive suite of international trade services to streamline importing and exporting, reduce risks and identify international partners.

Spike in business scams

Half asleep on a Monday morning, you click on an email sent from a colleague – without stopping to wonder why they would be charging an invoice to you.

You realise it’s malicious spam when your email inbox becomes paralysed and the same email has been sent by your account to everyone in your contact list – offering the opportunity for others to do the same as you.

Once inside your email system, hackers can then start harvesting valuable information, such as usernames, passwords and any account details.

Welcome to the world of scams.

They come in all shapes and sizes these days and are becoming more brazen and less obvious.

A woman with an Australian accent rings, purporting to be from your bank. It’s a “courtesy call”, she says, and leaves a message for you to call a 1300 number. When you do, the recorded message sounds like the same person who does the voice recordings for your bank. But you can’t action any options until you’ve keyed in your access number and PIN.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s latest Targeting Scams Report reveals that Australian businesses reported losing nearly $4.7 million to scammers last year –  a 23 per cent increase on 2016.

Businesses that fell victim lost an average of about $11,000, while small businesses accounted for nearly $3m of the total losses.

The ACCC says small businesses with fewer than 20 staff tend to be the most likely targeted and accounted for more than 50 per cent of reports it received.

Employment and investment scams caused the most losses.

“We’ve seen a worrying and dramatic jump in losses reported to us about these two scams,” says ACCC Deputy Chair Dr Michael Shaper.

“False billing scams are where a scammer tries to trick a business into paying fake invoices for directory listings, advertising, domain name renewals or office supplies. The scammers are very aggressive and persistent in demanding payment.”

Some of the most common scams targeting businesses include:

  • false payments
  • false billings
  • fake directories and advertising
  • domain name renewal
  • payment redirection
  • malware and ransomware and
  • phishing.

“It’s vital Australian businesses are aware that scammers are actively out there targeting them and to ensure they have strong processes in place to avoid becoming victims,” Schaper says.

How can businesses protect themselves?

You can help protect your business by taking steps to:

  • keep your filing and accounting systems well organised, making it easier to detect bogus accounts and invoices
  • double check every request for payment
  • update your security software, change passwords and back up your data regularly
  • consider what business information you post on social media and networking sites, as scammers use publicly available information to target businesses.

The ACCC has published The Little Black Book of Scams which outlines the best protection methods and details the different tools used by scammers.

It says the best protection is through awareness and education.

“If a government authority or trusted company is telling you to pay up, stop, think and double-check,” the guide advises.

“If the scam is sent by email, it is likely to include an attachment or link to a fake website where you will be asked to download proof of the ‘bill’, ‘fine’ or ‘delivery details’. Opening the attachment or downloading the file will result in infecting your computer with malware.”

►You can read the ACCC’s Business Scams Factsheet here or report a scam here. More information is available from the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety

Share This Post