‘Act quickly’: The dangerous scam trick fooling Australians right now
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Scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, targeting unsuspecting individuals and exploiting their trust in familiar organisations.
What may seem like a routine email could actually be part of a much larger and more dangerous scheme.
Behind these messages lies a calculated attempt to access sensitive information and cause significant harm.
Services Australia recently issued a warning for people to steer clear of suspicious emails claiming to be from them.
The organisation reported a rise in scam attempts targeting Australians to steal their money and personal details.
One of the most concerning scams involves emails that impersonate Centrelink and demand recipients ‘urgently update’ their details or risk losing their payments.
These emails include links to fake myGov websites designed to harvest sensitive information.
‘We’ve seen an increase in scammers impersonating us through email... Scammers want you to feel worried, so you’ll act quickly and click on a dodgy link,’ Services Australia said.
The organisation stressed the importance of avoiding links in emails claiming to lead to your myGov or Centrelink online accounts.
‘They are links that go to a phishing website, designed to steal your personal information. That’s how scammers steal your money and identity.’
Australians lost close to $319 million to various scams last year.
Although this figure was lower than 2023, investment, romance, and phishing scams accounted for $192.3 million in losses.
Scammers typically craft these fake emails to create urgency, using subject lines like ‘Urgent’, ‘Security Alert’, or ‘Payment Update Notice’.
The messages often include phrases such as ‘if you don’t provide the information on time’ or ‘we need your immediate attention’ to pressure recipients into responding.
Clicking the provided link leads to a site that mimics the myGov website, but its URL reveals it’s a fake.
Scammers may request details like your myGov username and password, personal information, Centrelink Customer Reference Number, Medicare card details, or banking information.
If you’ve clicked on a scam link, Services Australia advises contacting their Scams and Identity Theft Helpdesk at 1800 941 126.
The helpdesk operates from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm AEST/AEDT.
Suspected scam emails related to myGov, Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, or Child Support can be forwarded to [email protected].
A helpful tip shared by an Australian online involves holding down the link on iOS or Android devices to preview its URL without opening it.
‘If it is not from the supposed sender, then it is a scam,’ she explained.
The official myGov URL should only read ‘my.gov.au’; any other variation is likely fraudulent.
‘We won’t send you a link to sign in to your myGov or Centrelink online account,’ Services Australia reiterated.
Protecting your personal information has never been more important, especially with scams becoming increasingly convincing.
Have you ever come across a suspicious email or dodgy link? Share your experience in the comments.
What may seem like a routine email could actually be part of a much larger and more dangerous scheme.
Behind these messages lies a calculated attempt to access sensitive information and cause significant harm.
Services Australia recently issued a warning for people to steer clear of suspicious emails claiming to be from them.
The organisation reported a rise in scam attempts targeting Australians to steal their money and personal details.
One of the most concerning scams involves emails that impersonate Centrelink and demand recipients ‘urgently update’ their details or risk losing their payments.
These emails include links to fake myGov websites designed to harvest sensitive information.
‘We’ve seen an increase in scammers impersonating us through email... Scammers want you to feel worried, so you’ll act quickly and click on a dodgy link,’ Services Australia said.
The organisation stressed the importance of avoiding links in emails claiming to lead to your myGov or Centrelink online accounts.
‘They are links that go to a phishing website, designed to steal your personal information. That’s how scammers steal your money and identity.’
Australians lost close to $319 million to various scams last year.
Although this figure was lower than 2023, investment, romance, and phishing scams accounted for $192.3 million in losses.
Scammers typically craft these fake emails to create urgency, using subject lines like ‘Urgent’, ‘Security Alert’, or ‘Payment Update Notice’.
The messages often include phrases such as ‘if you don’t provide the information on time’ or ‘we need your immediate attention’ to pressure recipients into responding.
Clicking the provided link leads to a site that mimics the myGov website, but its URL reveals it’s a fake.
Scammers may request details like your myGov username and password, personal information, Centrelink Customer Reference Number, Medicare card details, or banking information.
If you’ve clicked on a scam link, Services Australia advises contacting their Scams and Identity Theft Helpdesk at 1800 941 126.
The helpdesk operates from Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm AEST/AEDT.
Suspected scam emails related to myGov, Services Australia, Centrelink, Medicare, or Child Support can be forwarded to [email protected].
A helpful tip shared by an Australian online involves holding down the link on iOS or Android devices to preview its URL without opening it.
‘If it is not from the supposed sender, then it is a scam,’ she explained.
The official myGov URL should only read ‘my.gov.au’; any other variation is likely fraudulent.
‘We won’t send you a link to sign in to your myGov or Centrelink online account,’ Services Australia reiterated.
Protecting your personal information has never been more important, especially with scams becoming increasingly convincing.
Have you ever come across a suspicious email or dodgy link? Share your experience in the comments.
