Australians are being warned to watch for increasingly sophisticated scams using artificial intelligence to impersonate trusted charities and target people experiencing hardship.
The St Vincent de Paul Society issued the warning ahead of national Scams Awareness Week, from 24–28 August, saying advances in AI were allowing criminals to create fake websites, emails, messages and phone calls that closely imitate legitimate organisations.
St Vincent de Paul Society National President Mark Gaetani said scammers were exploiting the organisation’s reputation to obtain personal, financial and government information.
“Scams are becoming more prevalent and more complex,” Gaetani said.
“AI now gives criminals the ability to replicate authentic websites, branding and communications with alarming accuracy.
“This makes it harder for people to distinguish a genuine service from a fraudulent one.”
Gaetani said people already experiencing hardship could be particularly vulnerable, including those looking for financial assistance, housing support or help paying essential bills.
“Exploiting someone’s trust at a time of hardship is unconscionable,” he said.
The Society warned Australians that it never asks for bank account or Centrelink details online or over the phone and does not offer low-interest loans.
It will also never pressure people to provide personal information, make an urgent payment or click an unsolicited link.
“If you receive a message, call, email or see a digital advertisement claiming to be from the St Vincent de Paul Society and something does not feel right, stop and check before responding,” Gaetani said.
“Do not provide personal or financial information.”
People who receive suspicious communications purporting to come from Vinnies are encouraged to contact the Society through its official channels to check whether they are genuine.
Suspected scams using the Society’s name or branding can also be reported directly on 13 18 12.
Gaetani said scams carried out using the Vinnies name not only risked harming individuals but also undermined confidence in services relied upon by people in need.
Responding to fraudulent activity also diverted the Society’s resources from its core work supporting people experiencing poverty, disadvantage and crisis, he said.
Gaetani said the problem highlighted the need for government support to strengthen cybersecurity across Australia’s not-for-profit sector.
“NFP organisations deliver essential services that communities have come to rely on, often supporting people at their most vulnerable times,” he said.
“A strong, secure and properly supported NFP sector is vital to the wellbeing of the Australian community.”
