Have you received a call or email threatening to disconnect your phone service, claiming to be from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) or another government agency? Be wary – this is a scam.
Scammers are targeting people who speak Mandarin by pretending to represent a government agency. Some calls also give an English language option.
The scammer will claim there has been illegal activity involving your phone number and threaten to disconnect the service. These calls and emails may look as if they are coming from an actual ACMA phone number or email address. They may also mention genuine ACMA contact phone numbers or website addresses. This is a trick used by scammers to convince you the call or email is genuine.
If you receive one of these calls or emails, hang up or delete the message. Do not respond. Scammers are trying to trick you into providing your personal information. The ACMA will never call or email to threaten to disconnect your phone number.
If you have any doubt whether a call you’ve received from the ACMA is legitimate, hang up and contact our Customer Service Centre on 1300 850 115 or at info@acma.gov.au. Do not rely on contact numbers or links that may be provided by email.
Scammers target everyone. We encourage Australians to discuss how to identify scams with friends and family. Learn more about how to protect yourself and those close to you on the ACMA website and make a report to Scamwatch.
If you’re concerned that your identity has been compromised or you’ve been a victim of a scam, contact your bank immediately and call IDCARE on 1800 595 160.
A version of this scam alert is also provided in Simplified Chinese:
