Phone scams impersonating Australian businesses and government agencies

Krusty · Aug 13, 2020

A recent [today] email I received from http://www.cyber.gov.au/:

Dear ACSC Alert Service subscriber

What’s happened?

The Australian Cyber Security Centre and Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch have received an increased number of reports in the last five days of remote access scams.

Members of the public have reported receiving calls from cybercriminals pretending to be from telecommunication companies, government agencies including the Department of Home Affairs and parcel delivery companies.

A majority of the calls have been reported by people living in areas that have been locked down due to the COVID-19 pandemic, suggesting cybercriminals may be preying on people who are more vulnerable, housebound and easy to contact.

Where victims have handed over personal details, the cybercriminals are then using legitimate remote access applications like Team Viewer or Zoho Assist, to gain access to people’s devices. They then log into your bank account and online accounts, and steal your details for financial gain.

Does it affect me?

Cybercriminals are cold calling people, so anyone can receive one of these calls, regardless of whether you have any usual dealings with the legitimate business being impersonated.

How do I stay safe?

If you receive one of these calls, NEVER provide your personal and financial details or give a stranger remote access to your device or computer – simply hang up.

If you’ve received one of these calls but have not engaged with the scammer, you can report it to Scamwatch.

If the cybercriminal has accessed your device via Team Viewer or Zoho assist, you should report it to ReportCyber and immediately notify your bank, as they may be able to put a temporary freeze on your financial accounts.

To prevent further compromise, you should also change passwords on all your important online accounts including banking, email and social media, and turn on two-factor authentication for extra security.

If you’re in doubt about a call claiming to be from a government agency or Australian business, and want to verify its legitimacy, contact the organisation by sourcing their details directly from their website, NOT by using the phone number or other details from the incoming call.

More information

Many organisations have dedicated scam pages on their websites alerting the public to the latest scams.

To help you spot a scam, NBN is running webinars next week to support Scamwatch’s Scams Awareness Week. You can register via their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/nbnaustralia.

The ACSC also recently launched an interactive quiz, to help Australians spot the warning signs of phishing (scam) messages. Make sure you share the quiz with your colleagues, family and friends, available at www.cyber.gov.au/scam-messages.

Read more about remote access and threat-based impersonation scams – including what to do if you have given personal information to a scammer.
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Probably not an issue for members here, but it doesn't hurt to be aware.

I have personally received a call a couple of days ago from a robot claiming there was a problem with my tax file number and if I didn't press one on my phone, or ring their number I would be arrested.

FYI.

Krusty · Aug 16, 2020

Identity theft soars during COVID-19 as scammers target government payments, superannuation

A staggering 24,000 people have reported their personal details stolen so far this year, as experts warn scammers have been targeting Australians' COVID-19 financial relief payments and superannuation.

New figures from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) show identity theft is up 55 per cent on the same period last year.

As the nation raced to move our work, socialising and personal admin tasks online, scammers saw an opportunity, according to the ACCC.

Deputy chair of the consumer watchdog Delia Rickard said scammers would always "follow the money".

"With the various government relief benefits that are around and ways to early access your super, scammers want to cash in on that," she said.

And getting your personal information — which allows them to steal your identity — is how they do it.
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https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08...-with-coronavirus-scams-accc-reports/12558622

How has COVID-19 helped scammers steal personal information?

Ms Rickard said there were "multiple tactics", but basically the scammers had been pretending to be the Government.

"They might be pretending to be MyGov, Home Affairs, ATO, Health Department," she said.

"They'll contact you either by phone, text, or email, convincing you that in order to access a particular benefit or for them to help you get early access to your super, you need to share a range of personal information with them.

"Everything from super details, bank account details, drivers licence, Medicare number — all of the information that scammers can use to impersonate you."

Ms Rickard said scammers often tried to get enough documents from people to tally up 100 points of identity, which is everything they need.

They can then apply for payments from the Government in your name or have your cold, hard superannuation cash deposited into their bank account.

Ms Rickard said with that much information, scammers could even open bank accounts and take out credit cards.

When it comes to superannuation, the ABC has reported on several Australians who have seen funds disappear.

"I think it's just contemptible, super is there for retirement so if someone needs to access it early, it's because they're doing it tough," Ms Rickard said.
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Phone scams impersonating Australian businesses and government agencies

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Phone scams impersonating Australian businesses and government agencies

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