They once appeared in letterboxes in colourful envelopes promising millions, but scams are becoming increasingly difficult to spot as they trickle into the mobile phones, email accounts and personal lives of Australians.

A report published by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) found scams hit the hip pockets of Australians to the tune of almost $90 million in 2013.

ACCC deputy chairwoman Delia Rickard says the figure is only a snapshot of the losses affecting Australians.

"We talk to other agencies, and work is being done so there will be a central repository of all reported scams in Australia but that's not in place just yet," she said.

"So we know it's significantly more than the $89 million that was reported to us."

Targeting scams: Report of the ACCC on scams activity 2013, identifies the 10 most commonly-reported scams and how to beat them.

1. Pay up-front, advanced fee scams

What is it?

By the numbers: pay up-front scams How many reports were made? 28,748 How many people lost money in scam? 2,941 How much was lost in 2013? $24,988,234

Pay up-front scams can come in a variety of forms but they all have one thing in common: a scammer makes an offer of money or goods in exchange for money provided in advance, often requested to be paid in cash or by wire transfer. The ACCC say one of the most common examples of advanced fee fraud is the reclaim scam, where a victim receives an unexpected call from a representative claiming to be from a government department, bank or other trusted organisation who informs them they are entitled to a refund for overpaid taxes or fees. They then ask that an up-front fee to cover administration costs be paid.

Beware:

Reclaim scams, fake accommodation vouchers, inheritance scams, rental scams and promises of profits from commodities such a gemstones.

Avoid falling victim:

According to SCAMwatch, government departments will never ask for money up-front in order to claim a rebate. If you receive a questionable call, they recommend confirming that the caller is who they say they are by independently checking with the organisation. Ask yourself whether any explanations as to why you are entitled to the money seem likely.

Did you know?

Pay-up front and advanced fee schemes attracted almost double the number of complaints of any other scam in 2013.

2. Phishing & identity theft

What is it?

By the numbers: identity theft How many reports were made? 15,264 How many people lost money in scam? 665 How much was lost in 2013? $2,467,287

Popular on email and increasingly so on text message, these schemes involve victims receiving a message purporting to be from a government department, financial institution or business. They may claim to be be updating or verifying account details or link the disclosure to a competition. The ACCC says scammers using this method do not expect a high success rate "fishing" for victims but rely on the volume of activity to produce results. Phishing and identity scams are so common, the ACCC says it is likely "the majority of recipients" do not report it. Worryingly, the scams are also on the increase.

Beware:

Anyone asking for personal information including usernames and passwords.

Avoid falling victim:

The ACCC recommends ignoring unexpected emails or text messages asking you to provide, confirm or update personal information. Even if an email appears to be from an official source, contact the organisation through official channels to verify it has sent the message. Do not click on links in emails which can contain harmful software.

Did you know?

These scams can also appear on social media offering gift vouchers in return for information, often captured through surveys. Be cautious of social media posts claiming: "Get a free $50 petrol voucher" or similar.

3. Computer hacking

What is it?

By the numbers: hacking scams How many reports were made? 10,415 How many people lost money in scam? 935 How much was lost in 2013? $1,130,947

The most common of the computer hacking schemes is the computer virus scam which snares victims through unsolicited calls. The callers, who often claim to be from an IT or other well-known company, tell the victim their computer is infected with a virus and offer to repair the fault if the user provides them with remote access and pays a fee. Victims who agree lose their money and provide access to personal information stored on the computer. Other hacking scams can include phishing emails which ask for passwords before directing people to a mirror image site of popular social media websites. Log in and you have provided the hacker with access to friends and family who can then go on to become the next victims in the scam.

Beware:

Callers claiming your computer has a virus or you are at risk of disconnection due to a fault with your internet.

Avoid falling victim:

The ACCC say the best defence is to not respond: "If a call comes out of the blue, just hang up." They recommend keeping computer security measures up to date to offer maximum protection. Run virus scanning software if you believe your computer could be carrying a virus.

Did you know?

In 2012, an international law enforcement effort led to a number of cold-calling computer virus scammers being caught. The ACCC says authorities face challenges in trying to shut down scams through court action. "If a particular ruse proves successful, then where one scam cell is shut down, other scammers are bound to step in. Scammers are also quick to change the story behind a scam when the community catches on," they said.

4. Lottery and sweepstakes

What is it?

By the numbers: lottery scams How many reports were made? 9,354 How many people lost money in scam? 581 How much was lost in 2013? $5,065,359

Ditching fancy envelopes delivered to your door, sweepstake scammers are now targeting victims using text messages. These scams are designed to lure personal information and money out of their victims in order to collect a prize from a competition the person never entered. Often the origin of the competition sits overseas with the prize offered in foreign currencies. To claim your winnings, scammers tell you that you need to send an up-front payment, usually via a wire transfer, but not surprisingly, the windfall never arrives.

Many victims are being advised of supposed lottery wins by text message. ( Reuters: Philip Sears )

Beware:

Fancy promotional material arriving in your mail box or a lottery announcement arriving via text message.

Avoid falling victim:

Did you enter the lottery? If not, it is unlikely you could have won it, the ACCC says. "If someone asks you to pay money up-front in order to receive money, walk away - it's a scam," they say.

Did you know?

The ACCC received 13 reports where losses related to lotteries and sweepstakes were greater than $100,000.

5. Online shopping scams

What is it?

By the numbers: online shopping How many reports were made? 8,402 How many people lost money in scam? 3,766 How much was lost in 2013? $5,046,729

The ACCC says there are two main approaches to online shopping scams and both buyers and sellers are at risk. In one, a scammer posts an advertisement on a classifieds website for common products. When a victim attempts to purchase goods, they are told to send payment first, but the product never arrives. In the second scam, a scammer will respond to an advertisement making payment. After making an "accidental" overpayment, they request the excess is paid back by money transfer - all before the victim discovers the phony money order or realises that the cheque has bounced.

Beware:

Common products used by scammers in instances of online shopping fraud: pets, used cars, boats, bikes and electronic items including phones, tablets and laptops.

Avoid falling victim:

The ACCC warns consumers to take care when dealing with any buyer who only wants to pay by cheque, money order or money transfer. Keep an eye on the website to check for a https web address, indicating the site offers secure communication online.

Did you know?

Forty-five per cent of people who reported the online shopping scam to the ACCC lost money to the scammers.

6. Unexpected prizes

By the numbers: unexpected prizes How many reports were made? 3,933 How many people lost money in scam? 190 How much was lost in 2013? $995,288

What is it?

Much like the lottery and sweepstake scams, this scheme tricks victims into believing they have won a prize in a competition that they, once again, never entered. In order to collect your supposed prize, typically holidays and electronic items, you must pay an up-front fee to cover taxes or administration costs. The money disappears, as does the prize, which never arrives.

The ACCC says unexpected prize scams often lead victims to believe they have won a holiday. ( stock.xchng: dynamix )

Beware:

Unexpected prize notifications for competitions you do not recall entering.

Avoid falling victim:

Ignore any notifications of a win, where you are asked to pay money up-front in order to collect your supposed prize.

Did you know?

Scammers have been known to dress up dodgy holiday packages as "prizes", which usually carry costly undisclosed terms and conditions.

7. False billing

What is it?

By the numbers: false billing How many reports were made? 3,672 How many people lost money in scam? 445 How much was lost in 2013? $724,772

The ACCC warns this ploy is used by scammers to trick businesses into paying for unauthorised listings or advertisements in magazines, journals and business directories.

Beware:

Subscription forms disguised as an outstanding invoice. Also be wary of invoices arriving for the renewal of the business's current domain name registration, which under closer inspection, are listed slightly differently (as an example, using .com, instead of .com.au).

Avoid falling victim:

The ACCC recommends checking that any invoices received out of the blue belong to a business that you have independently verified. They urge businesses to seek financial or legal advice where there is any doubt.

Did you know?

The ACCC was advised of a scam where small businesses received a fax claiming to be from a group similarly named to a phone book publisher. The fax, which appeared to be confirming business contact details, was instead an agreement to join an online business directory with a $100 per month fee.

8. Job and employment scams

What is it?

By the numbers: employment scams How many reports were made? 2,979 How many people lost money in scam? 401 How much was lost in 2013? $3,206,486

Claims of earning "easy money from home" can turn into a nightmare for victims of job and employment scams. On the promise of lucrative salaries and investment returns which never eventuate, scammers trick their victims into handing over cash for uniforms, training and fees. International job seekers are also targeted in employment scams, where they are offered "guaranteed" jobs and therefore visa hope in exchange for a finder's fee.

Beware:

The ACCC warns these scams are often a front for money laundering.

Avoid falling victim:

The only person getting rich quick in these schemes is the scammer. The ACCC recommends doing your research before agreeing to any offer and urges caution where an offer guarantees income or you are asked for payment up-front.

Did you know?

Employment schemes can cost you more than your promised income. The ACCC warns that individuals involved in the proceeds of crime can be prosecuted.

9. Dating and romance scams

What is it?

By the numbers: romance scams How many reports were made? 2,777 How many people lost money in scam? 1,189 How much was lost in 2013? $25,247,418

Draining more than $25 million from the pockets of those seeking love, dating and romance schemes proved to be the most costly scam in 2013. The ACCC says scammers develop a relationship with a victim before asking for money to help with illness, a family crisis or expenses related to visiting their victim. Often run by criminal networks, victims can be approached on legitimate dating websites before communication moves to other methods including email. While affecting fewer people than other scams, victims on average, handed over $21,000.

Beware:

An online contact asking for money, especially via money order, wire transfer or an international funds transfer. Scammers can also surface on social media.

Avoid falling victim:

The ACCC recommends using an online image search to double check the identity of an online contact and paying careful attention to inconsistencies in stories.

Did you know?

The ACCC has identified relationship scams as a priority area for 2014.

10. Mobile phone scams

What is it?

By the numbers: mobile phone scams How many reports were made? 1,351 How many people lost money in scam? 269 How much was lost in 2013? $51,775

Mobile phone scams come in all shapes and sizes and can include ring tone, competition and missed calls schemes. The ACCC warn that "free" or cheap ring tones can lead to subscriptions, while mysterious text messages can attract above-average fees when replied to. Other scams involving missed calls and SMS competitions can also hit the hip pocket with unexpected charges.

Beware:

Purchases that are linked to subscriptions, missed calls from unknown numbers and Australian phone numbers starting with 19, which are charged at a premium rate.

Avoid falling victim:

Reading the terms and conditions for all competitions and not replying to missed calls and messages from unknown numbers can reduce the risk, according to the ACCC.

Did you know?

Scams delivered by mobile phone recorded a total loss of $1,848,805 in 2013.