Have you recently received a message on your phone from your telco that you weren't expecting? Be careful – it might be a scam!
The ACMA is seeing a rise in SMS telco impersonation scams and is warning people to be on the lookout.
Scammers impersonate trusted brands like Optus, Vodafone, and Telstra and send messages with links to you. These messages sometimes look like a (fake) bill or say you have a problem with your account. Other times, they may say you have a bonus, reward points or another prize to collect or redeem.
The links in the messages take you to a scam website that requires your login or financial details, which the scammer will then steal.
What to look out for
Key signs that an SMS may be a telco impersonation scam are:
- Sense of urgency – scammers try and create an urgent need to get you to click on a link. They might say your service is about to be affected.
- Incorrect website address – the link leads to a web address that may contain the name of the telco being impersonated but is different from the real telco's website address. Look out for misspellings, unusual words or random letters and numbers.
- Generic name – the messages will not use your name, but instead will be addressed to ‘Dear customer’ or similar.
How to protect yourself
If you are unsure if a message or call is genuine – stop and check. Don’t rush to act.
- Do not click on any links in texts. These may contain malware or may be phishing scams designed to steal your personal or financial details.
- Do not rely on contact information in texts. Check if a message is genuine by contacting the business using details you confirm yourself – for example, on an official website, a bill or a secure app.
- Check in with family members or friends you trust and tell them about any online requests for money.
If you think you’ve been scammed, contact your bank immediately to stop any payments and tell your telco.
Scammers are criminals, and they target everyone.
Help other Australians by reporting scams to Scamwatch. Scammers want you to hide or deny your experiences. Reporting scams and talking about them not only helps you to understand what happened but informs authorities about scammer activities so that they can make it harder for scams to occur.
The more we talk, the less power they have.
Get informed:
- ACMA’s tips for dealing with phone scams.
- Scamwatch’s advice about protecting yourself.
- IDCARE can help if your identity has been compromised or stolen. Call 1800 595 160 or visit www.idcare.org.
- Use our phone scam educational materials, which include posters in English, 10 other languages and for First Nations Australians, and graphics for social media.
The ACMA supports the government’s Fighting Scams initiative to address scams and online fraud and protect Australians from financial harm. We also support the work of the National Anti-Scam Centre, which coordinates government, law enforcement and the private sector to combat scams.