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SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of distress emails targeting the APY lands [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Beware of distress emails targeting the APY lands

View radar online.

Added: January 2012

SCAMwatch and Consumer and Business Services in South Australia are warning people throughout the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands to beware of scam distress emails targeting the area.

How the scam works

  • You receive an email from someone you know, such as a work colleague or contact claiming they have been robbed whilst attending a work conference overseas.
  • Recent reports have shown that the scammer claims to have been robbed whilst in Spain, however scammers may use any overseas location.
  • The email will say they urgently need to borrow money, often more than $3,000. They will ask for this money by wire or international money transfer. It is rare to recover money sent this way.
  • The scammer will have hacked into someone's email account who has your contact details. This is why the email appears to be from someone you know.
  • In recent times scammers have pretended to be a colleague, friend, family member or work contact. 
  • The scammer will send the same email requesting money to every contact in the address book of the hacked email account.
  • If you respond with your own contact details you may risk having your own email account hacked.
  • If you send money this will go directly to the scammer and not to your colleague, friend or family member.
  • The scammer will also delete all email addresses from the address book of the hacked email account so the account owner cannot warn their contacts of the scam.

Protect yourself

  • If you receive an unexpected request for money from what appears to be a colleague, friend or family member, contact them directly via another means to check the request is genuine before sending money. Do not use any of the contact details from the email
  • Do not open suspicious or unsolicited emails (spam): delete them. NEVER reply, not even to unsubscribe.
  • NEVER send your online account details via email and think carefully before you give away any personal or financial information.
  • Keep your computer updated with the latest anti-virus and anti-spy ware software. Also use a good firewall.

Report
If you think that you have been targeted by this scam please contact Consumer and Business Services for assistance on 13 1882.

You can also report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.

More information
Consumer and Business Services has issued a media release on this scam - 'Stranded tourist' email scam targets the APY lands (PDF, 60KB).

Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.

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If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.

QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rainfall


QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rainfall
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in parts of the Southeast Coast district and parts of the Wide Bay
and Burnett and Darling Downs and Granite Belt districts.
Issued at 11:15 am on Wednesday 25 January 2012

Synoptic Situation: An upper level low lies over southwestern Queensland and is
forecast to move slowly west tonight and on Thursday. Moist and unstable NE
winds currently extend into southeast Queensland.

At 10:50am EST, the heaviest rain was located near coastal areas south of
Bundaberg, and the Gold Coast hinterland, with the highest hourly totals between
40-50mm. A separate severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for very heavy
rain and flash flooding.

Widespread heavy showers, a few thunderstorms and rain areas are likely to
continue over areas southeast of about Bundaberg to Texas, with locally heavy
falls in excess of 100mm possible over the next 24 hours. Locations which may be
affected include Gympie, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich, the
Gold Coast and Warwick.

Flood Warnings are current for various coastal rivers and streams in southeast
Queensland. Refer to www.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
- Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
- Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.

For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

Complete warning text
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Flash flooding hits Goodna

Flash flooding has hit parts of Goodna as heavy rain continues to fall in Ipswich.

Notorious trouble spots closed to traffic include Albert St and Smiths Rd Goodna with Lower James St and parts of Woogaroo St likely to be closed in the next few hours.

Local councillor Paul Tully said no homes were threatened at this stage but the community was "on edge" as localised flooding intensified, bringing back memories of January 2011.

Cr Tully urged motorists and pedestrians to exercise extreme caution around Goodna over the next few hours.

Pic: Albert St Goodna under water as localised flooding hits the suburb.

QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rainfall


QLD Severe Weather Warning: Heavy Rainfall
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett, Southeast Coast and Darling
Downs and Granite Belt districts for Tuesday.

Issued at 5:05 pm on Monday 23 January 2012

Synoptic Situation: At 4pm AEST, an upper level trough extended over the
interior of Queensland. This upper trough is expected to remain slow moving and
intensify during Tuesday. A surface trough is expected to develop near the
southern Queensland coast early Tuesday, extending a moist northeasterly wind
flow into southeast districts.

Heavy rain which may lead to flash flooding is expected through areas southeast
of about Bundaberg to Goondiwindi on Tuesday, initially developing on the coast
and spreading inland during the day. 24 hour totals in excess of 150 mm are
possible. Locations which may be affected include Hervey Bay, Gympie, Toowoomba, the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Ipswich and the Gold Coast.

A Flood Warning is current for coastal rivers and streams from Rainbow Beach to
Redcliffe and adjacent inland catchments.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
* Avoid driving, walking or riding through flood waters.
* Keep clear of creeks and storm drains.

For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.
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Seven's tennis coverage is ace!

Channel 7's use of Seven Two as the standby tennis channel has been excellent.

During normal news & current affairs programs, viewers of the main channel can switch to the digital Seven Two to see continuous live tennis action.

In past years, viewers in Queensland in particular were treated by 7 as second class citizens with evening tennis on a one hour delay from the southern states which enjoyed daylight saving.

Live tennis action is a boon for the sport, Channel 7 & the previously long-suffering public.