Post by Banjo on Nov 11, 2015 11:39:49 GMT 7
Centrelink scammers: ACCC warns people to be wary of scammers offering rebates
SCAMMERS posing as Centrelink officials have been targeting Australian consumers and forcing them to hand over sensitive personal and financial details.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued a warning today saying about 300 people had been contacted by someone imitating an officer from the Department of Human Services or Centrelink over the past six months.
More than $3000 has so far been lost to the scammers who tell victims they are entitled to a rebate but must first pay a fee in order to receive the money.
Callers are directed to make the payment direct or even head to a post office to deposit the funds and are also asked to provide personal details to confirm their identity.
It’s a double-hit for the victim as they are potentially giving their money away and also falling victim to identity theft.
The ACCC advises anyone who gets one of these calls to terminate the conversation immediately.
“If you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from a government department and they claim that you are entitled to money, hang up,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
“If you have any doubts about the identity of any caller who claims to represent a business, organisation or government department, contact the body directly. Don’t rely on numbers, email addresses or websites provided by the caller — find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.”
Staff from the Department of Human Services, including Centrelink, would not ask a consumer to divulge sensitive information over the phone and Ms Rickard urged people to be vigilant when it came to their financial security.
“Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source. If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately,” she said.
Anyone who has received one of these calls is asked to report the scam through the ACCC’s Scamwatch website.
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/centrelink-scammers-accc-warns-people-to-be-wary-of-scammers-offering-rebates/story-fni0cx12-1227604513493
SCAMMERS posing as Centrelink officials have been targeting Australian consumers and forcing them to hand over sensitive personal and financial details.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission issued a warning today saying about 300 people had been contacted by someone imitating an officer from the Department of Human Services or Centrelink over the past six months.
More than $3000 has so far been lost to the scammers who tell victims they are entitled to a rebate but must first pay a fee in order to receive the money.
Callers are directed to make the payment direct or even head to a post office to deposit the funds and are also asked to provide personal details to confirm their identity.
It’s a double-hit for the victim as they are potentially giving their money away and also falling victim to identity theft.
The ACCC advises anyone who gets one of these calls to terminate the conversation immediately.
“If you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from a government department and they claim that you are entitled to money, hang up,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
“If you have any doubts about the identity of any caller who claims to represent a business, organisation or government department, contact the body directly. Don’t rely on numbers, email addresses or websites provided by the caller — find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search.”
Staff from the Department of Human Services, including Centrelink, would not ask a consumer to divulge sensitive information over the phone and Ms Rickard urged people to be vigilant when it came to their financial security.
“Never give your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source. If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately,” she said.
Anyone who has received one of these calls is asked to report the scam through the ACCC’s Scamwatch website.
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/centrelink-scammers-accc-warns-people-to-be-wary-of-scammers-offering-rebates/story-fni0cx12-1227604513493