[Jan A]

Another scam is coming our way. The email is seemingly from “noreply.gov.au”. The subject is “Immediate update required: 2025 Tax Assessment Hold”. The actual sender’s email address shown on the email itself is definitely not a government one.

This is a scam! Do not open it! Do not reply to it! Do not panic! The heading suggests your tax assessment (and therefore your refund) is on hold. This is complete rubbish. The Australian Taxation Office does not communicate with people in this way. If there is an issue with your tax return, you will be notified by letter containing all your details, including your Tax File Number. Whatever it is, if it doesn’t have your name, address and TFN and/or ABN it is not from the ATO.

These emails have no identifying details, showing they have no clue who is receiving it. These scammers have obtained bulk email addresses and send out this garbage to everyone, hoping they will frighten someone into contacting them and revealing their banking details. Be smart! Use that Delete button!

 

[Towing]

I know of somebody who had a legitimate loan with a certain company. They would call him and ask him for his date of birth etc. Take note they were calling him - that means the guy had his file in front of him. He knew the guy's name + voice but he still refused to give his date of birth. He told the guy he must have his file and for him to say the file number + date of birth, that he would either deny or confirm it. I thought that was a good idea. The company manager then spoke to him and he told the manager the same thing.

 

[Jan A]

I know of somebody who had a legitimate loan with a certain company. They would call him and ask him for his date of birth etc. Take note they were calling him - that means the guy had his file in front of him. He knew the guy's name + voice but he still refused to give his date of birth. He told the guy he must have his file and for him to say the file number + date of birth, that he would either deny or confirm it. I thought that was a good idea. The company manager then spoke to him and he told the manager the same thing.

This man was right to be careful about giving his date of birth. Wherever possible, do not give your date of birth to anyone. Date of birth is an essential ingredient in identity theft. If you are dealing with an organization that asks for date of birth when you call, try to arrange a password that can be quoted instead. Several years ago, I was with Optus for phone service. Every time I rang about a service issue, they asked date of birth. I arranged a password and was assured my date of birth would not be asked again. On 8 subsequent occasions where I had to call them, I was told that there was no password listed and I had to go through the process again. After the 8th time, I cancelled my account with them and went with another provider where I had no further problems.

 

[Jan A]

Another scam email arrived yesterday. This one had the “GIO” logo on it and claimed to be from their “Recoveries & Settlements, Motor Claims” section in Queensland.

The email said:
“Hi, Good Evening. Please find our proof of loss attached.” No name or address for the policy holder was given, only a long reference number in the subject line. No policy number was quoted.

A proof of loss form is completed by the policy holder to show what they have lost and detailing the cost of rectification. I do not have any insurance with GIO. They have no reason to be sending me a proof of loss form.

If you get this one, delete it.

 

[Veggiepatch]

DITTO. Next identically one I GET time to call the cops! Delete or report! End of story!!!!!!!

What exactly would the cops do?

Nothing!

 

[GrannyJA!]

Don't you just love the idiots who have 'dirt on you' because of your computer usage or 'incriminating photos/video' of you? For starters I don't own a computer, have never filmed anything incriminating (wouldn't know how, even if I wanted to), and am so old and ugly, who would want to view it anyway. Ps scammers "You can't get blood out of a stone"!

 

[Jan A]

The most interesting thing I have done online is to order wooly inserts for my slippers. The world is welcome to know about that.

 

[deni67]

Another scam email arrived yesterday. This one had the “GIO” logo on it and claimed to be from their “Recoveries & Settlements, Motor Claims” section in Queensland.

The email said:
“Hi, Good Evening. Please find our proof of loss attached.” No name or address for the policy holder was given, only a long reference number in the subject line. No policy number was quoted.

A proof of loss form is completed by the policy holder to show what they have lost and detailing the cost of rectification. I do not have any insurance with GIO. They have no reason to be sending me a proof of loss form.

If you get this one, delete it.

Anything with a long number in the subject line shouldn't even be opened, everyone of them is a scam.
There no harm in opening them but why bother.

 

[Dynamo]

Well get a load of this dirty email sent to my daughter. They really are the lowest of lows. This is disgusting beyond anything I know of.
View attachment 66297

 

[Dynamo]

Yep it's disgusting!

 

[deni67]

For any of you that remembers me getting my bank hacked a few weeks ago by someone buying 'Cyber Ghost' I got my money back from the bank.
I got a full refund for the $115.05.
I just hope they can catch the bastards!

 

[Liz]

Another one I got was from Australia Post saying a delivery I had couldn't be delivered, was being held at the post office and I would have to pay an amount to have it redelivered to my home. I have an Australia Post account and knew that the parcel I was waiting for wasn't at the post office. I had a similar logo to Australia Post, so just put it into the spam folder. Getting tired of my spam folder being bigger than my inbox.

 

[Bill MacL]

The most interesting thing I have done online is to order wooly inserts for my slippers. The world is welcome to know about that.

Can you post some pictures???

 

[Veggiepatch]

An email I received yesterday.

New Income Tax Available

From: myGov<[email protected]>

You have a new message in your myGov Inbox.

Read Message

Regards, myGov team

Do not reply to this email.

The internet domain .id is Indonesia!

 

[Lynnne]

When I told my friend in Melbourne about the extortion email that I received, she said she had received one as well. It said the sender possessed videos of her looking at nasty things online and was going to upload these videos to the internet. As it was all complete rubbish, she deleted it immediately. Nevertheless, these things are disturbing.

Also be aware those MyGov scam emails about Centrelink pensions are still going around. If you see a MyGov email or text, delete it immediately. If a government agency wants to contact you, it will provide your name, address and identifying details (such as TFN or CRN number). If it doesn’t have that, it is a scam. Delete it.

I had an email recently claiming to be from an investment company saying my account was to be deleted unless I contacted them through the link provided. As I don’t engage any investment company, this was another scam. As with these scams, it contained no identifying details, just “Dear Customer” which is a clear red flag that this is a fake designed to get people to reveal their financial details. Be smart, be safe. Use that “Delete” button!

There back from holidays expect heaps.

 

[Kezzababy]

I was scammed last year via the Optus data breech in 2022. Optus never contacted me. The first I knew about it was via a phone call from a Detective who confirmed it. Of course I phoned the Police to check his authenticity. I received witness statements to sign and had 2 names revealed of those scammers. BUT that was only the first group of scammers. There ended up being 4 groups carrying out scams using my ID. My credit rating plummeted due to loans I never owned as there were no payments made. 10k from mortgage redraw was made after Heritage Bank allowed a caller to change all my login details, but as it was a weekend and I was contacting all my financial institutions - it was stopped as was due for release on the Monday. Next was CBA where they transferred my funds into my main account then attempted a PayID tfr (1hr 45 mins onto the CBA fraud line was unanswered)!!!! Multiple loan applications had been made by the scammers. One tried to get mortgage broker to do a quick cash tfr. Another contacted my daughter as her details were on my Optus account and he wanted my maiden name. One name I searched worked at a well know company that does your data searches when buying a property!!! Unbelievable. I bought new drivers license to stop online accounts being opened. Weeks later I received multiple debit cards in the mail from a bank Ive never heard of and then Heritage range saying they are trying again. All devices now have layers of protection.

 

[David567]

Had similar emails with different wording. I know they are full of BS. Delete and ignore them.

 

[Mikeyboy2012]

Well get a load of this dirty email sent to my daughter. They really are the lowest of lows. This is disgusting beyond anything I know of.
View attachment 66297

Yes, I received something similar years ago. They are literally fishing by sending these to thousands or more, hoping for a bite. Mongrels!

I'd love to be able to send a virus to them that paid them back many times.

 

[HelenC]

DITTO. Next identically one I GET time to call the cops! Delete or report! End of story!!!!!!!

The police do not want to know unless you are actually scammed ergo - you fell for it.

 

[cblayney]

Well get a load of this dirty email sent to my daughter. They really are the lowest of lows. This is disgusting beyond anything I know of.
View attachment 66297

Yes I received one of these. First a shock then I laughed so hard I nearly fell off the chair.
Sorry your daughter was exposed to this type of garbage. Hope she is OK.