[Sean Camara]

Australians are being warned of a new scam involving the impersonation of NBN employees — here’s everything you need to know​

Australians are being warned of a new scheme where fraudsters pose as NBN Co employees to retrieve personal information from people and scam money out of them.

In recent years, the National Broadband Network (NBN) has been the target of scammers who have used it to gain access to people's personal accounts.

According to Scamwatch, a service run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), there were 6,458 reports of NBN Co impersonation scams across Australia last year. These scams resulted in losses of over $1.4 million dollars.

Acting Chair of the ACCC, Delia Rickard, has stated that “scammers are increasingly using trusted brands like ‘NBN’ to trick unsuspecting consumers into parting with their money or personal information.”

Hackers impersonate NBN employees to retrieve personal information from customers. Credit: iStock.​

There are a few ways that hackers can take advantage of the NBN, but the most common is via a remote access scam where a scammer calls you and asks you to download a software like AnyDesk or TeamViewer.

This scheme is often done under false pretences, such as the scammer pretending to be an NBN employee and claiming that your NBN needs to be fixed or upgraded.

Once you download the software, the scammer can access your personal details and passwords to sensitive accounts, such as your emails and even internet banking.

Ms Rickard said: “Remote access scams are one of the largest growing scam types in Australia. Scammers take advantage of the digital world and the fear of fraud and cybercrime to access people’s devices and steal their money.”

“These types of scams target and impact all people and can be convincing."

“People aged 55 and older lost over $4.4 million, accounting for almost half of total losses."

“Young people reported losing on average $20,000 and eight Indigenous Australians, some in remote communities, lost a total of $38,000.”

Here are a few common techniques to look out for with these types of scams.

1. They "report" an issue on your connection and offer to fix it.

They may claim that your NBN connection has been ‘hacked’ or that there is a security breach, and offer to provide ‘technical support’ or a discount.

They may also either ask you to run an internet speed test through websites such as ‘speedtest.net’ or download a remote-access software.

2. They directly ask for personal information

They may ask you to authenticate your identity by demanding a photo of your driver's licence or asking you to answer common security questions.

3. They offer to reconnect your NBN in a power outage

NBN updated its customers that during the March floods, some of their subscribers who had been impacted by the power outages were offered to reconnect their connection.

The post read: “Some residents have received phone calls from scammers impersonating NBN and asking for funds to expedite the restoration of their service. Please be aware NBN will never contact customers asking for payment or any other financial information.”

4. The call is automated

It was said that some calls are automated, meaning there is a robotic voice on the phone. If you encounter this, it is advised to hang up immediately.

5. They try to sell you something

The company is warning the public about scammers who are offering to install a 5G connection or change your technology type, and asking for payment in exchange.

NBN Chief Security Officer Darren Kane says that NBN Co "will never make unsolicited calls or door knock to sell broadband services to the public. He advises that people who are interested in switching to NBN should contact their preferred phone and internet service provider".

It was said that scam calls were rampant during the power outage in March. Credit: news.com.au.​

For those of you who suspect you may have been scammed, here is some advice:

1. If you've given your bank details to someone, it is advised to immediately notify your bank and report the incident to the police or Scamwatch.

2. If you've given someone access to your computer or device, retrieve as much information from them, such as their name, phone number, or any remote access ID.

Once you obtain that information, contact IDCARE or TeamViewer.

3. If you've downloaded any apps, it is advised to delete them immediately and report it to Scamwatch.

How to stop scammers

Keep in mind that these scammers are trying to trick people into giving them remote access to their computers and mobile phones, sharing their financial information, or purchasing NBN equipment from unofficial providers.

So, you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the NBN, hang up and call your phone and internet provider to confirm if the caller is legitimate. Do not call any number the caller provides you with. If the caller offers to come to your home to check your NBN equipment, check their NBN enAble ID card before letting them in.

Remember, you should never give remote access to your computer or mobile phone to anyone, share your financial information with anyone, or purchase NBN equipment from unofficial providers. Hang up the phone if an automated voice is giving an NBN disconnection notice.

By being aware of these scams and taking precautions, you can protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of fraud.

 

[Ricci]

I didn't know remote access was a thing until recently when I had trouble with my computer. I live in NSW and my son is in Melbourne. I phoned him to ask about my problems and after trying to tell me how to fix it he finally said "Oh Mother!!" in the way they do, then went online, linked to my computer and fixed it in seconds. It was such an easy thing for him to do and certainly an eye opener. From now on I will be hyper vigilant as while I keep no personal info on my phone, my life is on my laptop. Keep safe people.

 

[thomas]

whilst working in a large company it was often neccessary to get a problem fixed on the computer and as the I.T was hundreds of kms away the "fix" was done remotely, it was fascinating to sit there watching things being done on the computer without touching it. sometimes if there was a "delicate fix" your screen would go blank until the fix procedure was done, there was a time when my computer "problem" was not able to be fixed straight away so I was given remote access via my computer to another computer hundreds of kms away and it was as if I was working on my own computer.
as was the case in those days there was always something going wrong with something on the computer that just about once a month or more you had to get remote assisrance, so, in the end, a few "reliable" people were instructed on how to use remote access to help other employees. SO, PEOPLE BEWARE and listen to the advice that you have read or been given, you don't have to know a lot about computers yourself but just be very cautious of someone offering you a "LINK" in a email to click

 

[joshram]

Australians are being warned of a new scam involving the impersonation of NBN employees — here’s everything you need to know​

Australians are being warned of a new scheme where fraudsters pose as NBN Co employees to retrieve personal information from people and scam money out of them.

In recent years, the National Broadband Network (NBN) has been the target of scammers who have used it to gain access to people's personal accounts.

According to Scamwatch, a service run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), there were 6,458 reports of NBN Co impersonation scams across Australia last year. These scams resulted in losses of over $1.4 million dollars.

Acting Chair of the ACCC, Delia Rickard, has stated that “scammers are increasingly using trusted brands like ‘NBN’ to trick unsuspecting consumers into parting with their money or personal information.”

Hackers impersonate NBN employees to retrieve personal information from customers. Credit: iStock.​

There are a few ways that hackers can take advantage of the NBN, but the most common is via a remote access scam where a scammer calls you and asks you to download a software like AnyDesk or TeamViewer.

This scheme is often done under false pretences, such as the scammer pretending to be an NBN employee and claiming that your NBN needs to be fixed or upgraded.

Once you download the software, the scammer can access your personal details and passwords to sensitive accounts, such as your emails and even internet banking.

Ms Rickard said: “Remote access scams are one of the largest growing scam types in Australia. Scammers take advantage of the digital world and the fear of fraud and cybercrime to access people’s devices and steal their money.”

“These types of scams target and impact all people and can be convincing."

“People aged 55 and older lost over $4.4 million, accounting for almost half of total losses."

“Young people reported losing on average $20,000 and eight Indigenous Australians, some in remote communities, lost a total of $38,000.”

Here are a few common techniques to look out for with these types of scams.

1. They "report" an issue on your connection and offer to fix it.

They may claim that your NBN connection has been ‘hacked’ or that there is a security breach, and offer to provide ‘technical support’ or a discount.

They may also either ask you to run an internet speed test through websites such as ‘speedtest.net’ or download a remote-access software.

2. They directly ask for personal information

They may ask you to authenticate your identity by demanding a photo of your driver's licence or asking you to answer common security questions.

3. They offer to reconnect your NBN in a power outage

NBN updated its customers that during the March floods, some of their subscribers who had been impacted by the power outages were offered to reconnect their connection.

The post read: “Some residents have received phone calls from scammers impersonating NBN and asking for funds to expedite the restoration of their service. Please be aware NBN will never contact customers asking for payment or any other financial information.”

4. The call is automated

It was said that some calls are automated, meaning there is a robotic voice on the phone. If you encounter this, it is advised to hang up immediately.

5. They try to sell you something

The company is warning the public about scammers who are offering to install a 5G connection or change your technology type, and asking for payment in exchange.

NBN Chief Security Officer Darren Kane says that NBN Co "will never make unsolicited calls or door knock to sell broadband services to the public. He advises that people who are interested in switching to NBN should contact their preferred phone and internet service provider".

It was said that scam calls were rampant during the power outage in March. Credit: news.com.au.​

For those of you who suspect you may have been scammed, here is some advice:

1. If you've given your bank details to someone, it is advised to immediately notify your bank and report the incident to the police or Scamwatch.

2. If you've given someone access to your computer or device, retrieve as much information from them, such as their name, phone number, or any remote access ID.

Once you obtain that information, contact IDCARE or TeamViewer.

3. If you've downloaded any apps, it is advised to delete them immediately and report it to Scamwatch.

How to stop scammers

Keep in mind that these scammers are trying to trick people into giving them remote access to their computers and mobile phones, sharing their financial information, or purchasing NBN equipment from unofficial providers.

So, you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the NBN, hang up and call your phone and internet provider to confirm if the caller is legitimate. Do not call any number the caller provides you with. If the caller offers to come to your home to check your NBN equipment, check their NBN enAble ID card before letting them in.

Remember, you should never give remote access to your computer or mobile phone to anyone, share your financial information with anyone, or purchase NBN equipment from unofficial providers. Hang up the phone if an automated voice is giving an NBN disconnection notice.

By being aware of these scams and taking precautions, you can protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of fraud.

We had one two days ago. He was from "Telstra" on behalf of the NBN and they were improving the speed of our downloads. They are quite believable - I was uncertain and passed it on to my husband who also was uncertain and let him talk until he asked for information and said that we should download software. That's when we realised it was a scam. Most scams we pick up much more quickly, but this presentation was so good I can understand people falling for it.

 

[Merv.]

I was caught this week when booking a ticket to an event when up popped a box asking for my credit card details, thinking that was the payment box for the purchase I did so. When I got off I realised I hadn’t been given a receipt or ticket checked and found that I had been charged $1 from a company name i didn’t recognise. The next morning had a loo at my credit card and another $80 had been charged to the same company. I immediately rang my bank and had that card canceled before any more damage was done. I believe that this is called a trojan. Will be more vigilant in the future.

 

[tomtom]

My wife and I are getting numerous calls a day - I generally put them under scam which generally works - but, they still keep coming. What has happened to the " Telstra " we are blocking scam calls ? - not quite sure how they can do it, anyway fellow " senior discount club members - be careful and good luck - someone somewhere is making a fortune giving out our private details.

 

[Luckyus]

Australians are being warned of a new scam involving the impersonation of NBN employees — here’s everything you need to know​

Australians are being warned of a new scheme where fraudsters pose as NBN Co employees to retrieve personal information from people and scam money out of them.

In recent years, the National Broadband Network (NBN) has been the target of scammers who have used it to gain access to people's personal accounts.

According to Scamwatch, a service run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), there were 6,458 reports of NBN Co impersonation scams across Australia last year. These scams resulted in losses of over $1.4 million dollars.

Acting Chair of the ACCC, Delia Rickard, has stated that “scammers are increasingly using trusted brands like ‘NBN’ to trick unsuspecting consumers into parting with their money or personal information.”

Hackers impersonate NBN employees to retrieve personal information from customers. Credit: iStock.​

There are a few ways that hackers can take advantage of the NBN, but the most common is via a remote access scam where a scammer calls you and asks you to download a software like AnyDesk or TeamViewer.

This scheme is often done under false pretences, such as the scammer pretending to be an NBN employee and claiming that your NBN needs to be fixed or upgraded.

Once you download the software, the scammer can access your personal details and passwords to sensitive accounts, such as your emails and even internet banking.

Ms Rickard said: “Remote access scams are one of the largest growing scam types in Australia. Scammers take advantage of the digital world and the fear of fraud and cybercrime to access people’s devices and steal their money.”

“These types of scams target and impact all people and can be convincing."

“People aged 55 and older lost over $4.4 million, accounting for almost half of total losses."

“Young people reported losing on average $20,000 and eight Indigenous Australians, some in remote communities, lost a total of $38,000.”

Here are a few common techniques to look out for with these types of scams.

1. They "report" an issue on your connection and offer to fix it.

They may claim that your NBN connection has been ‘hacked’ or that there is a security breach, and offer to provide ‘technical support’ or a discount.

They may also either ask you to run an internet speed test through websites such as ‘speedtest.net’ or download a remote-access software.

2. They directly ask for personal information

They may ask you to authenticate your identity by demanding a photo of your driver's licence or asking you to answer common security questions.

3. They offer to reconnect your NBN in a power outage

NBN updated its customers that during the March floods, some of their subscribers who had been impacted by the power outages were offered to reconnect their connection.

The post read: “Some residents have received phone calls from scammers impersonating NBN and asking for funds to expedite the restoration of their service. Please be aware NBN will never contact customers asking for payment or any other financial information.”

4. The call is automated

It was said that some calls are automated, meaning there is a robotic voice on the phone. If you encounter this, it is advised to hang up immediately.

5. They try to sell you something

The company is warning the public about scammers who are offering to install a 5G connection or change your technology type, and asking for payment in exchange.

NBN Chief Security Officer Darren Kane says that NBN Co "will never make unsolicited calls or door knock to sell broadband services to the public. He advises that people who are interested in switching to NBN should contact their preferred phone and internet service provider".

It was said that scam calls were rampant during the power outage in March. Credit: news.com.au.​

For those of you who suspect you may have been scammed, here is some advice:

1. If you've given your bank details to someone, it is advised to immediately notify your bank and report the incident to the police or Scamwatch.

2. If you've given someone access to your computer or device, retrieve as much information from them, such as their name, phone number, or any remote access ID.

Once you obtain that information, contact IDCARE or TeamViewer.

3. If you've downloaded any apps, it is advised to delete them immediately and report it to Scamwatch.

How to stop scammers

Keep in mind that these scammers are trying to trick people into giving them remote access to their computers and mobile phones, sharing their financial information, or purchasing NBN equipment from unofficial providers.

So, you receive a call from someone claiming to be from the NBN, hang up and call your phone and internet provider to confirm if the caller is legitimate. Do not call any number the caller provides you with. If the caller offers to come to your home to check your NBN equipment, check their NBN enAble ID card before letting them in.

Remember, you should never give remote access to your computer or mobile phone to anyone, share your financial information with anyone, or purchase NBN equipment from unofficial providers. Hang up the phone if an automated voice is giving an NBN disconnection notice.

By being aware of these scams and taking precautions, you can protect yourself and your family from becoming victims of fraud.

I keep getting calls from some call centre in India or Pakistan going by accent, purporting to be from Telstra.