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Australians are being warned to be alert for scammers using artificial intelligence and QR codes to dupe victims, with thousands of fresh scams expected to target banks this year.
AI voice scams and QR code phishing are among the emerging scams to watch out for in 2024, according to NAB fraud and cybersecurity experts.
It's been predicted there will also be a rise in chat-based remote access scams, romance scams, ticket scams and term deposit investment scams this year.
READ MORE: Complaints swamp financial watchdog as scams almost double
NAB Manager for Advisory Awareness Laura Hartley said the 'scamscape' was constantly changing and the use of AI was expected to take scams to another level in 2024.
"When many of us are relaxing enjoying the new year, scammers are busy working on new scams," Hartley said.
"Criminals are targeting Aussies enjoying their break by using sophisticated technology to manipulate victims when and where they least suspect it.
"We have identified these six scams based on what we're seeing overseas and key issues and challenges in society. These are scams every Australian needs to know about so they can recognise the red flags and protect themselves."
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Bank customers reported an average of 1500 scam cases every month in 2023, with 70 per cent of those scams involving some sort of impersonation.
Urgency is a common tactic used among scammers, Hartley explained.
"Scammers create a sense of urgency to encourage you to act quickly," Hartley said.
"It could be a phone call from your 'son' or 'daughter' in distress and needing money, a fantastic term deposit rate that's only available for a limited time or cheap concert tickets going quickly.
"AI voice scams are one of the six we are closely watching in 2024. They can be created with as little as three seconds of audio taken from a social media post, voicemail or video on a website."
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The scams have already unfolded in the UK and the US, with experts predicting they will soon arrive in Australia.
The warning comes as NAB continues its fight against scammers as part of a bank-wide strategy.
These include removing links from customer text messages and introducing payment alerts to digital banking.
Hartley said scams could have devastating financial and emotional impacts.
"Our fraud team receives an average of almost 80,000 calls each month. That's up from an average of 63,800 calls a month a year ago," she said.
"Contact your bank immediately if you think you've been scammed."
