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Stop, check, protect. Three small steps to keep Australia safe from scammer
Scam alert: ACCC phone numbers spoofed by scammers​

Scam alert: ACCC phone numbers spoofed by scammers ....................................

The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) is warning Australians following reports that scammers have been impersonating phone numbers belonging to the ACCC in an attempt to steal personal information. The ACCC and the NASC (which operates under the ACCC) have become aware of scammers using publicly available ACCC phone numbers, which are listed on the agency’s official website. Here are 2 reported cases: The scammers claimed to be representatives of the ACCC and requested sensitive information over the phone. Scammers misused the ACCC acronym to impersonate an unrelated organisation and spoke in a language other than English. The ACCC phone numbers have been spoofed, which means that the scammers have disguised their phone number to make it look like they are calling from a trusted organisation, in this case, the ACCC. They then ask for personal information. The ACCC and NASC will never: make calls from its reception numbers charge money for its services cold call or email to ask for your personal information like passwords, bank details or answers to security questions threaten or pressure you to stay on the line. If you receive a call claiming to be from the ACCC where personal information such as passwords or bank details are requested, do not provide this information and hang up. Be extremely wary of urgent requests asking you to act immediately, and never provide personal information if unsure. Do not click on any links or download attachments from messages unless you are sure it is from someone you can trust. Stay protected​ STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if you’re unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency. Don’t rush to act. Say ‘no’, hang up, delete. CHECK – Ask yourself could the call or text be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Contact the organisation using information you source independently, so that you can verify if the call is real or not. PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. If you have had money or personal information stolen contact your bank immediately. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch. If you’ve been affected​ Don't be embarrassed about being scammed. If you’ve had money or personal information stolen contact your bank or card provider immediately. If you’ve been scammed or have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch. Who is the National Anti-Scam Centre?​ The National Anti-Scam Centre is where government and industry work together to protect Australians from scams. We're harnessing shared resources and smarter analytics to identify blind spots, strengthen weak links and use data to react faster, stopping scams before they happen. Our aim is to make Australia a harder target for scammers. For more information about how to avoid or report a scam, visit the Scamwatch website. ​

You have received this email because you have subscribed to receive Scamwatch scam alerts issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. We send these alerts to tell you about new scams and how to avoid them. We don't use links in these emails. Not clicking on links in emails and messages is one of the easiest ways to protect yourself from scams. 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.