Telco giant launches massive update to tackle scams! Here's how you can benefit from it
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In today's digital age, Australians have been facing an unprecedented wave of scams.
These fraudsters not only disrupt everyone's daily lives but also pose a significant threat to everyone's security and finances.
Last year, the nation was hit with $141 million in losses due to phone scams.
Now, there's a silver lining on the horizon for those of us who have grown wary of potential fraud.
Telstra, one of the country's major telecommunications companies, took a bold step forward in fighting against scams.
The telco giant introduced a new feature that could change things for millions of Aussies.
Telstra recently launched Telstra Scam Protect, an innovative scam detection service.
Scam Protect informs phone users about the calls they receive daily.
'The new in-house solution alerts our customers to suspicious or unverified calls by displaying a message in real-time, directly from their device screen,' Telstra's Consumer Executive, Thomas Beach, explained.
Since its initial roll-out last December, Telstra Scam Protect has already flagged over 10 million calls with warning messages.
The need for scam detection technology has been clearer now than ever.
National research conducted by Telstra last September 2024 revealed that 42 per cent of Aussies are less likely to answer a call due to concerns about scams.
Australian women ignore unknown calls by 47 per cent, compared to men, who only ignore 36 per cent of unknown calls.
When it comes to generational caution, 45 per cent of Gen X-ers hesitate to answer unknown calls.
They were then closely followed by Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z.
A state-by-state breakdown also showed that Queenslanders were the most cautious Aussies, with a 47 per cent hesitancy rate when it comes to answering unknown calls.
Victorians and South Australians followed suit, along with Western Australians and those from New South Wales.
With one in three reported scams in Australia happening by phone, it's no wonder many Aussies are on.
Scammers have been posing as representatives from government agencies, law enforcement, and private firms to earn people's trust.
The most common types of phone scams often involve impersonation or threats and extortion.
With Scam Protect, Telstra has already blocked more than 11 million scam calls monthly.
Yet, as Mr Beach pointed out, 'Cyber criminals constantly adapt their techniques to slip through the net.'
The new Telstra Scam Protect should catch those that evade traditional blocking methods by providing three distinct warning messages:
For those who believe they have received a scam call, Telstra advised customers to hang up immediately if the call has an unknown origin.
Verify the caller's claims by contacting the purported organisation through official channels.
Avoid calling back unrecognised numbers, especially those in international numbers.
Stay informed about active scams through Telstra's Cyber Security team updates.
If you suspect you just fell victim to a scam, contact your bank or card provider immediately to halt any transactions.
Assistance is also available from IDCARE, Australia, and New Zealand's national identity and cyber support services.
You may also report the scam to ScamWatch and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).
What do you think of Telstra's new feature? Share your thoughts and opinions with us in the comments below!
These fraudsters not only disrupt everyone's daily lives but also pose a significant threat to everyone's security and finances.
Last year, the nation was hit with $141 million in losses due to phone scams.
Now, there's a silver lining on the horizon for those of us who have grown wary of potential fraud.
Telstra, one of the country's major telecommunications companies, took a bold step forward in fighting against scams.
The telco giant introduced a new feature that could change things for millions of Aussies.
Telstra recently launched Telstra Scam Protect, an innovative scam detection service.
Phone calls should now have extra security thanks to Telstra Scam Protect. Image Credit: Pexels/Andrea Piacquadio
Scam Protect informs phone users about the calls they receive daily.
'The new in-house solution alerts our customers to suspicious or unverified calls by displaying a message in real-time, directly from their device screen,' Telstra's Consumer Executive, Thomas Beach, explained.
Since its initial roll-out last December, Telstra Scam Protect has already flagged over 10 million calls with warning messages.
The need for scam detection technology has been clearer now than ever.
National research conducted by Telstra last September 2024 revealed that 42 per cent of Aussies are less likely to answer a call due to concerns about scams.
Australian women ignore unknown calls by 47 per cent, compared to men, who only ignore 36 per cent of unknown calls.
When it comes to generational caution, 45 per cent of Gen X-ers hesitate to answer unknown calls.
They were then closely followed by Baby Boomers, Millennials, and Gen Z.
A state-by-state breakdown also showed that Queenslanders were the most cautious Aussies, with a 47 per cent hesitancy rate when it comes to answering unknown calls.
Victorians and South Australians followed suit, along with Western Australians and those from New South Wales.
With one in three reported scams in Australia happening by phone, it's no wonder many Aussies are on.
Scammers have been posing as representatives from government agencies, law enforcement, and private firms to earn people's trust.
The most common types of phone scams often involve impersonation or threats and extortion.
With Scam Protect, Telstra has already blocked more than 11 million scam calls monthly.
Yet, as Mr Beach pointed out, 'Cyber criminals constantly adapt their techniques to slip through the net.'
The new Telstra Scam Protect should catch those that evade traditional blocking methods by providing three distinct warning messages:
- Warning: Potential Fraud—for calls that may be fraudulent, either calling from a spoofed number or those with a suspicious calling pattern.
- Unverified: Overseas Call—for calls that appear to be from a local mobile number but are detected from overseas.
- Warning: Suspicious Calling Pattern—indicates a high volume of incoming traffic from a single number, often associated with spam.
For those who believe they have received a scam call, Telstra advised customers to hang up immediately if the call has an unknown origin.
Verify the caller's claims by contacting the purported organisation through official channels.
Avoid calling back unrecognised numbers, especially those in international numbers.
Stay informed about active scams through Telstra's Cyber Security team updates.
If you suspect you just fell victim to a scam, contact your bank or card provider immediately to halt any transactions.
Assistance is also available from IDCARE, Australia, and New Zealand's national identity and cyber support services.
You may also report the scam to ScamWatch and the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).
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