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SCAMwatch email alert: Beware of scam surveys and offers misusing household names [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Beware of scam surveys and offers misusing household names

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Added: November 2012

SCAMwatch is warning people to beware of online scams – surveys, emails and social-media posts – offering fake gift vouchers or other bogus inducements in return for disclosing credit card and other personal information.

While many online surveys are legitimate and may be backed by some reward, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and Woolworths have received an increased number of complaints about possible scams misusing the Woolworths name and logo, going under such titles as 'Customer Satisfaction Survey to get $50'.

Scams such as these often ask people to provide credit card or other personal details, which criminals can use to commit identity theft and other fraud.

Woolworths is advising people that all its official competitions are listed at www.woolworths.com.au on its Promotions and Competitions page.

How these scams work

  • These scams abuse the brand names and logos of well-known companies and products to make them look legitimate.
  • As with many legitimate offers and online posts, you might be asked to complete a survey and/ or pass on an offer to others before you can claim a voucher or other inducement or enter a competition. But the scams will take your valuable information and give you only disappointment in return – products will never arrive or vouchers will be fakes that retailers won't honour.
  • Recent scams have related to supermarkets, coffee shops, smart phones and tablets, including offers featured on Facebook.

Protect yourself

  • Be very wary when, for example, filling in surveys linked from social networking sites – being asked to provide such detailed information as Medicare numbers or credit-card security codes should ring alarm bells.
  • You should check whenever you can whether offers are legitimate, even ones passed on from people you know. If the offers are represented as coming directly from a particular retailer, check they are listed on the retailers' official websites – or call a business' official customer-service line. Don't click on links or call numbers listed in the offers – they can link to fake websites and even fake call centres.
  • If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your financial institution immediately.

Report

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

More information

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

You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive SCAMwatch radar alerts on scams targeting Australians. These alerts are issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and can be viewed on its SCAMwatch website www.scamwatch.gov.au.

If you have any doubts about an email's source, verify the sender by independent means - use their official contact details to check the email is legitimate before clicking on links or opening attachments.

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

QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds


QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia and Maranoa and Warrego Forecast Districts.

Issued at 11:35 am Sunday, 18 November 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Toowoomba, Dalby, Maroochydore, Dalby, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Kingaroy, Hervey Bay waters, Biloela, Stanthorpe and Goondiwindi.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

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QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds


QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds
Source: Bureau of Meteorology

For people in the Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt, Southeast Coast and parts of the Central Highlands and Coalfields, Capricornia and Maranoa and Warrego Forecast Districts.

Issued at 11:35 am Sunday, 18 November 2012.

Severe thunderstorms are likely to produce damaging winds and large hailstones in the warning area over the next several hours. Locations which may be affected include Warwick, Toowoomba, Dalby, Maroochydore, Dalby, Bundaberg, Gladstone, Kingaroy, Hervey Bay waters, Biloela, Stanthorpe and Goondiwindi.

Emergency Management Queensland advises that people should:
* Move your car under cover or away from trees.
* Secure loose outdoor items.
* Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
* Avoid using the telephone during a thunderstorm.
* Beware of fallen trees and powerlines.
* For emergency assistance contact the SES on 132 500.

NEW: EWN Alerts Map | EWN Discussion Forum | EWN Mobile Apps
Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar

QLD Severe Weather Forecast


QLD Severe Weather Forecast



Severe Weather Forecast

The following is an advisory produced by the Early Warning Network. An SMS has not been sent with this message.

Sunday 18 November

There is an increased risk of severe thunderstorms occurring over the South East Coastal District during today with the risk continuing into the evening. The risk will increase further from midday if we break to sunshine later this morning. Damaging winds, Large Hail and Heavy rainfall are possible within thunderstorms.

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