 | ||||
| ||||
 Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds
QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds
| ||||
| ||||
| Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
QLD Severe Weather Forecast
| ||||
| ||||
| Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Heavy Rain, Destructive Winds
| ||||
| ||||
| Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
EWN SMS Alerts Expired
 | |
| |
| EWN Support | Unsubscribe |
SCAMwatch email alert: Don’t be horsed around by scammers this spring racing season [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Don't be horsed around by scammers this spring racing season
Added: November 2012
SCAMwatch is warning punters not to be fooled by scammers pedalling sports investment scams this spring racing season.
'Foolproof' gambling schemes and betting prediction software trap more people during the spring racing season as the racing fever takes hold. Often promoted as legitimate investments, these schemes simply do not deliver – the odds are you will never see your money again.
Remember: There are no guaranteed get-rich-quick schemes. The only ones on a winning streak are the scammers.
How these scams work
- You receive a call, email or letter out of the blue from someone offering you to invest in a sports betting syndicate or software package that is 'guaranteed' to provide high returns.
- The promoter claims that the scheme is able to predict results based on historical trends, track or horse conditions, or different odds offered by bookmakers.
- The promoter will try to convince you that this 'investment opportunity' is legitimate through sophisticated brochures or websites that contain graphs or diagrams showing large returns.
- You are also likely to be subjected to high pressure sales tactics to try and get you to sign up on the spot, such as claiming that places are strictly limited.
- In order to participate, you are required to pay large upfront costs and ongoing fees and charges. Betting syndicates also require you to put money into a sports betting account so that promoters can place bets on behalf of the syndicate, with participants receiving a percentage of the profits. Often no bets are actually placed.
- If you sign up, you may initially find your account shows winnings during the 'trial period'. However, it's not long before all of your money and the promoters disappear.
Protect yourself
- If you receive a phone call or email out of the blue about a sports investment opportunity, just hang up or press delete.
- Always get independent financial or legal advice if an offer involves significant money, time or commitment.
- Don't be enticed by reports of past performance or graphs showing high returns, and don't let scammers push your buttons by pressuring you to sign up on the spot.
- Ask yourself: if a stranger knew a secret to making money, why would they share it?
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or 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.
SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Scammers continue to impersonate government officials
Added: October 2012
SCAMwatch is warning consumers to remain vigilant against scammers impersonating government officials with false claims of owed money.
In the latest twist on this type of scam, fraudsters have been calling individuals claiming to be from the Australian Treasury – including the Treasury Reclamations Section – and offering to recover overpaid bank fees in return for a 'processing fee'.
The Treasury does not recover or process money for individuals.
If you receive a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be a government official and that you are entitled to reclaim money in exchange for a fee, just hang up.
How these scams work
- You receive a call or email out of the blue from someone claiming to be a government official. Common agencies or departments that scammers target are the Australian Taxation Office, the Department of Climate Change and Treasury. Scammers even claim to be from fictitious departments such as the 'Australian Government Grants Department'.
- The scammer claims that you are entitled to a refund or compensation for overpaid taxes, bank fees or rebates. To make it appear legitimate, the scammer may claim that the money you are owed is connected to topical issues or government programs, for example carbon price compensation, solar panels or natural disasters.
- You may even be directed to fake websites dressed up to look like official government sites.
- In order to receive your money, the scammer claims that you have to pay money upfront to cover administration fees or taxes.
- The scammer will typically ask you to send the money via a money transfer service.
- You may also be asked to provide personal or financial details.
- If you pay, you will never see your money again.
Protect yourself
- If you receive a phone call or email out of the blue from someone claiming to be a government official and that you are entitled to a refund or compensation, simply delete the email or just hang up.
- If you're not sure whether a call or email is a scam, verify who they are by using their official contact details to call them directly. Never use contact details provided by the caller – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.
- The Australian Government website www.australia.gov.au is a safe portal for finding government services.
- Never send money or give your financial details to someone you don't trust - it's rare to receive money from a scammer.
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or 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
The Treasury has also issued an alert about this latest scam.
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.
SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
With Halloween around the corner, beware of scareware
Added: October 2012
With Halloween around the corner, SCAMwatch urges you to be alert to a new type of scareware doing the rounds where scammers try and scare you into handing over money in order to regain control of your computer.
SCAMwatch has received reports of a particularly nasty scareware scam where internet users receive a pop-up alert on their screen and find their computer has been frozen. The alert claims to be from the Australian Federal Police (AFP) and states that the user's computer has been locked because they have visited an illegal website or breached various laws. The scammer claims that they will unlock the computer if a fee is paid.
The AFP does not solicit funds and this message is not associated with the AFP in any way.
Don't let a scammer ransom you – if you pay, you are not guaranteed that you will regain control of your computer and your computer's security has still been compromised.
How these scams work
- You visit a website or receive an email that scammers have infected with scareware.
- Out of the blue, your computer freezes and you receive a pop-up alert from what appears to be a reputable authority such as the Australian Federal Police. The alert may include a police logo to make it appear legitimate.
- The alert states that your computer has been frozen because you have violated a law or visited an illegal website. Common claims made by the scammers are that you have violated laws around privacy, copyright or child pornography.
- In order to unlock the computer, you are instructed to pay a 'fine' – usually $100 or $199 – using a prepaid money service. These services involve you purchasing a money voucher from a store, which can then be used to make online payments.
- If you pay, the scammers may or may not unlock your computer. Even if you do regain access to your computer, malware may continue to operate so that the scammers can use your personal and financial details to commit fraud.
Protect yourself
- Be wary about which websites you visit and do not open emails from unknown senders – emails may contain malware and some sites may automatically download malicious software on your computer.
- Before you download a file, make sure it is from a reputable source. If the file is a program (for example, the file name ends with .exe) make sure you know exactly what it will do.
- Always keep your computer security up to date with anti-virus and anti-spyware software and a good firewall. Only buy computer and anti-virus software from a reputable source.
- Be careful what you store on your computer – if a scammer gains access to your personal data, they can use it to steal your identity and your money. If you think your computer has been infected, contact your bank or financial institution immediately and change your passwords.
- If you receive a pop up alert and are unable to perform any functions on your computer, it may have been infected and you might need a computer specialist to remove the malware. If you are able to perform some security functions on your computer, use your security software to run a virus check.
- If you have received this scam, unfortunately your computer's security has been compromised. Even if you have managed to regain control of your computer – whether by your own means or by paying the scammer – it could still be infected with malware. Use your security software to run a virus check but if you have any doubts, contact your anti-virus software provider or a computer specialist.
Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
The AFP has issued a media release about this scam.
Check out SCAMwatch's online scams section for more information on malware, spyware and key-logging scams.
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 Fire Weather Warning
 | ||||
| ||||
| Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
SCAMwatch email alert: Computer cold call virus scam – scammers outsmarted! [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Computer cold call virus scam – scammers outsmarted!
October 2012: Joint action between three international regulators has thwarted a massive global phone scam, with US authorities winning court orders to close down and freeze funds of imposters posing as Microsoft employees offering to fix PC viruses.
The Australian Communications and Media Authority (the ACMA), the US Federal Trade Commission and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission collaborated to share key intelligence about the operations of the Microsoft imposters.
This scam was one of the most commonly reported scams in 2011, with computer hacking scams contributing more than 23 per cent to the total scam reports to the ACCC.
SCAMwatch urges you to remain alert – this type of scam continues to do the rounds, with scammers impersonating other well known and trusted companies or government agencies to slip under your radar.
If you receive a call out of the blue from a stranger requesting access to your computer, money or your personal details, just hang up.
How these scams work
You receive a call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from (or have a relationship with) Windows or Microsoft and that they have detected a virus on your computer.
To confirm the diagnosis, the caller asks you to open Windows Event Viewer on your machine to check if it is infected. Several error messages are listed and this reinforces their claims, even though errors are common and usually harmless. The caller tells you that these are of significant concern and offers to refer you to a 'technician' who could fix the problem—for a fee.
At this point, you're offered a number of solutions that seem to make perfect sense. Depending on the intent of the particular scammer involved, the 'technician' might:
- Install an antivirus program on your computer—typically the kind that you can download for free from reputable companies—and charge up to $250 for the service.
- Ask for your credit card details but install nothing. Your details might then be sold to other parties or used for fraudulent purposes.
- Install malware on your computer—this enables your computer to be controlled remotely for other illegal and harmful activities.
- Access and steal personal and financial details from your computer.
Follow-up scam
Scammers have also been known to make follow-up calls to people who initially fell victim to the scam. In these calls the scammer falsely claims to be from a foreign government, foreign law enforcement body, or from your bank, and offers to recover the money that you initially lost— in return for a fee.
Protect yourself
- Suspect: Don't accept anything at face value—if it sounds unlikely or too good to be true, it probably is.
- Think: Recognise the signs—if you're being pressured to act, disclose personal details or send money to a stranger, it's almost certainly a scam. For example, Microsoft never makes unsolicited phone calls about its products.
- Report: Act quickly—tell SCAMwatch and stop scammers in their tracks.
- Ignore: Never respond. Just hang up, or delete the SMS or email after reporting.
Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the SCAMwatch report a scam page or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
The ACCC has previously issued alerts on the cold calling computer virus scam:
- August 2011: Computer remote access scammers now masquerading as Telstra – new twist
- March 2011: New twist on computer error message/virus scams
- July 2010: Telemarketing scam: Your computer has a virus!
Visit the ACMA website for more information about the US case and how to outsmart the scammers.
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 attachemnts.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
Southeast QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Damaging Winds
| ||||
| ||||
| Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
Southeast QLD Severe Thunderstorm Warning: Large Hail, Damaging Winds
| ||||
| ||||
| Unsubscribe or EWN Support | BoM Radar | ||||
SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]
Update - Beware of carbon price scams
Added: August 2012
SCAMwatch is warning consumers and businesses to be on the look out for carbon price scams, particularly calls asking for personal information in order to receive compensation.
How these scams work
Carbon price scams may come in a number of forms, targeting consumers and businesses.
The ACCC has recently become aware of carbon price related scams whereby people are telephoned and asked to provide their bank account details. For example scammers may phone you claiming to be from the Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA) to offer you a grant for mortgage assistance under the Federal Government's Household Assistance Package of up to $100,000. These offers are false.
Beware of phone calls seeking your personal banking details to pay carbon 'tax' compensation into your bank account – these are likely to be a scam. Scammers may also know your name, address and phone number and may try to make an appointment to visit you in your home.
Scammers may set up fake websites which look very similar to official Australian Government websites. The sites may ask you to enter your personal or financial details, or offer to sell you fake carbon credits.
Protect yourself
- The Australian Government will never call you to ask for your bank account details or to receive the Household Assistance Package. Government services are never paid via money transfer services, nor will they ever ask you to send money this way. The Australian Government website www.australia.gov.au is a safe portal for finding government services.
- If you receive a phone call or letter asking for personal information such as your Tax File Number, Veteran's Affairs client number or banking details, do not answer straight away. Contact the Australian Taxation Office on 13 28 61 or your nearest DVA office on 133 254 (or 1800 555 254 if in regional Australia) to confirm that the source is legitimate.
- Never provide or confirm your personal or business details over the phone (including banking details or identification numbers) unless you made the call using contact details you found yourself and you trust the information.
- If you think that a call might be a scam hang up and check by using official contact details which you have found independently such as through a phone book or online search. Never use phone numbers, email addresses or websites provided by the caller.
- Never enter your credit card or banking details on a website unless you have checked it is authentic and secure. Legitimate websites which ask you to enter sensitive personal or business details are commonly encrypted to protect your details. A secure site is usually identifiable by the use of "https:" rather than "http:" at the start of the internet address, or by a closed or unbroken key or padlock icon at the bottom right corner of your browser window.
- If you are a business, make sure you only deal with people you know and trust. Avoid having a large number of staff authorised to make orders or pay invoices. This will reduce the risk of your business paying for something that it is not required or is not legitimate.
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer contact your bank or 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
Information about the Household Assistance Package is available at the FaHCSIA website.
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 attachemnts.
If you no longer want to receive SCAMwatch email alerts, please unsubscribe on the SCAMwatch website.
Fraud Alert: Scammers use bank fees as new cover
AUSTRALIANS are being targeted by a new phone scam in which victims are promised refunds from banks that have overcharged them.
NSW Fair Trading Assistant Commissioner Robert Vellar says there has been a spate of bogus calls, mainly during the day, to residents across NSW, Victoria, Queensland and Western Australia.
The callers claim to represent NSW Fair Trading and tell people they are entitled to money from banks.
They then ask for account details so the funds can be returned.
The scam is the latest in a conga-line of criminal hoaxes where people claimed to be from banks or government agencies, he says.
Because the transactions are done over the internet any money lost is almost irretrievable, Mr Vellar said.
"In all likelihood it is very difficult, and really almost impossible to recover people's money because it's gone offshore to Eastern Europe or to Africa," he told AAP on Tuesday.
"With the technology that the internet provides ... (the phone calls) are virtually untraceable.
"Calls are made to look like they come from Sydney but often they are calling from somewhere like the Ukraine."
The scams were almost impossible to police, he said.
According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Scamwatch, more than 83,000 people reported scams in 2011, costing unsuspecting victims more than $85.6 million.
Almost 52 per cent of scams reported to the ACCC in 2011 were delivered by phone.
www.theaustralian.com.au
Australian hitman scam: 'Deposit $5000 or you will be killed'
Queensland police have warned members of the public to ignore a scam text and email being distributed by overseas fraudsters that commands recipients to deposit $5000 into a bank account or be killed.
Anyone who receives the message has been asked by police to delete it immediately, not respond to its demands and not forwarding it on to others.
Detective Superintendent Brian Hay of the Fraud and Corporate Crime Group said the texts were fraudulent and people should not be concerned by the gravity of the threat.
An example of the 'hitman scam' SMS.
The email address has been blacked out.
"Across Australia at this point in time we are being flooded and inundated by disturbing emails and text messages claiming you will be killed if you don't part with the sum of $5000 and transfer this money into the hands of criminals," he said.
"Please understand that this is a scam. A very ugly attempt by fraudsters overseas to get your money.
"There is no immediate danger or threat to you or your family and tens of thousands of Australians have been targeted on mass. This is not directed personally to you."
The Australian ScamWatch website first began warning about a similar text-based scam in 2008 but the latest circulation of the message also includes emails.
Police say it is vital anyone who has transferred money as a result of the texts or emails contact police and their bank immediately.
Anyone with any concerns about the message should contact ScamWatch and the ACCC.
www.brisbanetimes.com.au
Lives ruined in Westpac low-doc 'scam'
At the grand age of 101, Heather Simmers lives with the consequences of a scheme that encouraged elderly people to take out uncoventional "low-doc" loans through Australia's second-largest bank and buy into a property development company that failed, leaving them broke and in some cases homeless.
www.TheAustralian.com.au
10.8.12
Door-to-door sales spark fire warning
Authorities are warning Brisbane residents to be wary of door-to-door sales people selling smoke alarms, fire blankets and extinguishes as products endorsed by the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service.
Assistant Commissioner Ian Mitchell said the service had received reports of door-to-door sales people claiming to be from the QFRS trying to inspect and sell fire safety products.
"Let me be clear that the QFRS does not proactively sell fire safety products including smoke alarms or fire blankets,” Mr Mitchell said.
“In fact QFRS personnel do not doorknock to sell any products and therefore, the public should be aware of any door-to-door sales people claiming to be from the service.
“We strongly advise if you are approached by anyone purporting to be from the QFRS, you do not let them into your home.
“We urge you to immediately report the incident to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or the Queensland Office of Fair Trading.”
A sales person must leave a private property if asked to do so.
For further information is available at SCAMwatch at www.scamwatch.gov.au or the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.
www.brisbanetimes.com.au
Assistant Commissioner Ian Mitchell said the service had received reports of door-to-door sales people claiming to be from the QFRS trying to inspect and sell fire safety products.
"Let me be clear that the QFRS does not proactively sell fire safety products including smoke alarms or fire blankets,” Mr Mitchell said.
“In fact QFRS personnel do not doorknock to sell any products and therefore, the public should be aware of any door-to-door sales people claiming to be from the service.
“We strongly advise if you are approached by anyone purporting to be from the QFRS, you do not let them into your home.
“We urge you to immediately report the incident to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission or the Queensland Office of Fair Trading.”
A sales person must leave a private property if asked to do so.
For further information is available at SCAMwatch at www.scamwatch.gov.au or the Office of Fair Trading at www.fairtrading.qld.gov.au.
www.brisbanetimes.com.au
New Telstra ripoff: Telco increases prices to combat NBN threat
 |
| Telstra in new Aussie ripoff |
Telstra is increasing phone line rental fees for households, businesses and charities as it tries to squeeze profit out of its copper network before the national broadband network replaces it.
Telstra will also increase local call costs on fixed phone and start charging some mobile calls in 60-second blocks instead of 30-second blocks.
We have not had an increase for quite a long time and we have to reflect the cost of running our business
The cost of a local call on Telstra's Complete, Plus and Advanced home phone plans will increase by 2¢ from October 1 to 22¢, 20¢ and 17¢ respectively.
Monthly rental fees will increase by about 6 per cent from $2 to $3 per month on these three plans to be $31.95, $33.95 and $44.95 respectively. The Together plan will rise by $5 per month, taking it to $74.90 per month.
Telstra will also increase local call costs on fixed phone and start charging some mobile calls in 60-second blocks instead of 30-second blocks.
We have not had an increase for quite a long time and we have to reflect the cost of running our business
The cost of a local call on Telstra's Complete, Plus and Advanced home phone plans will increase by 2¢ from October 1 to 22¢, 20¢ and 17¢ respectively.
Monthly rental fees will increase by about 6 per cent from $2 to $3 per month on these three plans to be $31.95, $33.95 and $44.95 respectively. The Together plan will rise by $5 per month, taking it to $74.90 per month.
Four business rental plans will increase by $2 per month. Charity and non-profit organisations will also see 1¢ per minute increase in calls to mobiles and a $2 monthly rental increase to either $14.40 or $21.50, depending on their concession.
The cost of calling 13 numbers from any fixed line plan will increase from 30¢ to 35¢.
There will not be any increases for customers on HomeLine Budget plans or people who use Telstra's pensioner discount scheme.
"We have not had an increase for quite a long time and we have to reflect the cost of running our business," a Telstra spokeswoman said.
However Telstra did increase monthly rental for five home phone plans by $1 or $2 on October 1st last year.
And from October 1 pre-paid mobile customers on casual plans will be charged in one-minute blocks. Telstra's blog says the new price increases will help pay for upgrades to Telstra's mobile network. Telstra moved most mobile customers, long-distance calls and international calls to 60-second blocks in early 2011.
Telstra moved from charging customer per second to 30-second blocks in 2009.
Telstra recently increased prices across its post-paid mobile phone plans as well.
Revenue from the copper network has decreased from $6.6 billion in 2007-08 to $5.3 billion in 2010-11 as Australians choose to use mobile phones instead of fixed phones. GoldmanSachs analysts estimate this will fall to $3.6 billion by 2013-14 as the copper network is replaced by the national broadband network.
Telstra enjoys a 59 per cent profit margin on the services provided over the copper network compared to a 35 per cent profit margin on mobile services.
Executive Director of customer service at Telstra, Peter Jamieson, said this was the first change to local call costs in nine years. However regular line rental increases were necessary to cover increasing costs and make up for declining fixed-line connections.
"The dynamics of the [copper network] are changing over time as less customers use it and they use less of it, but it is still critical for all of our broadband customers. There are a set of dynamics in there that have to be balanced up and that is what we have done here to make the decision to increase prices at this time," Mr Jamieson said.
"It is not so much about costs increasing, it is about continuing to invest in that network as customers continue to decline over time...We see that continual decline and we just have to make sure that our revenues associated with that network and customers using that network continue to be in line with the cost of running it."
"The fixed network is still a very big part of the telecommunications infrastructure of Australia and we need to continue to maintain it for both our retail and our wholesale customers."
He would not say whether prices would increase again in the future.
www.BrisbaneTimes.com.au
27.7.12
SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert
Beware of reclaim scams
View radar onlineAdded: July 2012
SCAMwatch is warning you to be aware of scam calls or emails claiming that you are entitled to reclaim fees or rebates.
Scammers pretending to be from the Government, a bank or trusted organisation have come up with all sorts of stories to convince you to part with your money such as overpaid taxes, bank fees or compensation.
Now that it's tax time, SCAMwatch warns that reclaim scams for overpaid taxes are likely to increase.
If you are contacted out of the blue and told that you are entitled to money in exchange for an upfront fee, ignore it – if you hand over your money, it's gone.
How these scams work
- You receive a call or email out of the blue that claims you are eligible to reclaim money for overpaid taxes, bank fees or compensation.
- The caller or sender pretends to be from a government department, financial institution or trusted organisation.
- In order to receive your money, you will have to pay a fee upfront to cover 'administration fees' or taxes.
- The scammer will typically ask you to send the money via a money transfer service.
- You may also be asked to provide personal or financial details.
- If you receive a phone call or email out of the blue claiming that you are entitled to reclaim money for a fee, hang up or press 'delete'.
- If you're not sure whether the call or email is a scam, verify who they are by using their official contact details to call them directly. Never use contact details provided by the caller – find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.
- If the caller or sender claims to be from the Government, remember: government departments will never contact you asking you to pay money upfront in order to claim a fee or rebate.
- Never send money or give your financial details to someone you don't know and trust – it's rare to recover money from a scammer.
- If you think you've provided your bank account or credit card details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
The Australian Government website www.australia.gov.au is a safe portal for finding government services.
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.
SCAMwatch email alert: SCAMwatch email alert
'Hitman' scam resurfaces
View Radar OnlineAdded July 2012
SCAMwatch is warning Australians to beware of SMS death threats from scammers claiming to be 'hitmen' hired to kill the SMS recipient unless they send cash.
This scam has been around for a number of years, with scammers using both SMS and email to target you. The message arrives out of the blue and often contains a variation of the following text:
"Sum1 paid me to kill you. get spared, 48hrs to pay $5000. If you inform the police or anybody, death is promised...E-mail me now: killerking247yahoo.com.''
The scammers will typically request a sum of money and may also ask you for your personal details.
If you receive this scam SMS, do not respond – these text messages are often sent at random, so scammers won't know if they have reached a live mobile number until the recipient responds. Ignore any requests for your personal details as it may lead to the theft of your identity.
Protect yourself
- Delete the SMS immediately.
- Do not forward or respond to the SMS – if you do, the scammers will escalate their intimidation and attempts to get your money.
- Never provide your personal, credit card or banking details in an SMS, email or over the phone – scammers will use your details to commit identity fraud or steal your money.
- If you have transferred any money, or have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank and the police immediately.
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995. Noting the text and phone number of the sender may assist in any investigations of the scam.
Should you ever be concerned about your physical safety, contact your local police.
More information
SCAMwatch has issued previous radars on 'hitman' scams:
- September 2010: 'Hitman' email scam
- July 2008: 'Death threat' SMS scam
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)