What you see and read online isn't always true. That's the message once again from the Altona Police Service as officers dealt with yet another scam report.
This time, the victim sent money to an unknown person they'd been speaking with on an online dating app.
Police warn, if you are being asked to send large amounts of money to someone who've never actually met, odds are, they aren't who you think they are. In most cases, police say, once the money is sent, it can't be retrieved.
Police Chief Dan Defer says with the advancement of AI, they fear the problem will only become worse.
"I was at a couple of conferences where they were talking about this sort of stuff and, I forget what it was, but someone doesn't need that many words and, with that, they'd be able to digitally make a conversation," he noted. "So, if someone gets ten words of you, they can make a recording making it sound just like you. Now, you put that into the Grandma Scam...".
Protect your belongings
Local police are also concerned that parcel thefts will continue to rise as online shopping grows.
This, after someone reported a stolen parcel from outside their home last week.
According to the Altona Police Service, a package was dropped off at the victim's home while they were away and, when they returned, it was gone.
No cameras or other surveillance was available. Police spoke with the neighbours who said they didn't notice any suspicious activity.
Chief Defer suggests installing a doorbell camera or arranging for a friend or family member to pick up your parcel if you aren't home when it's delivered.