Category: Scam Warnings

Staying vigilant against Scams

Posted on by AUSOM Admin

This is a good article and a timely reminder to stay vigilant against falling prone to scams. A Victorian Police officer has revealed the human face – and full extent – of the enormous problem.

The article has input from a Victorian Crime Investigation Unit Police officer who said “These people are intelligent, and they are just ashamed and embarrassed they’ve been scammed,” Detective Faure said.

The official Scamwatch agency, run by the ACCC, has reported an 89 per cent jump in scams this year compared to the same period last year.

Continue reading “Staying vigilant against Scams” →

New wave of technical support scams

Posted on by Pam Doughty

StaySmartOnline have received reports of a new wave of technical support scams impersonating Telstra.
Victims are contacted by callers pretending to be representatives from Telstra reporting some kind of problem.
These callers may either request remote access to your computer and/or ask for credit card details in order to charge a fake support fee or fix a false payment processing issue.

What to do now

  • If you are contacted unexpectedly by someone claiming to be from Telstra and they either ask you to verify your payment details or claim that there is a problem with your internet connection – hang up. If unsure, verify their identity by contacting Telstra using the phone number printed on your bill, or use the contact details https://www.telstra.com.au.
  • If you think you have given your credit card details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately. We also encourage you to report scams to the ACCC’s SCAMWatch (https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam) and ACORN (https://report.acorn.gov.au) (Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network).
  • If you think your computer’s security has been compromised, or you have given remote access to an unauthorised user, uninstall any remote access software you were asked to install, run a full scan with your anti-virus software and seek reputable technical support. Seriously consider restoring your computer from a previous back-up.
  • If you accessed any online accounts or services (such as online banking, social media or email) after giving a scammer remote access, you will need to update your credentials for these services. Log in to any services or accounts that may have been accessed – from a different, clean computer – and change your passwords. Learn more about using strong passwords.

Don’t forget AUSOM’s Main Presentation on 1st July at NewHope Baptist Church

Michael McKinnon: ‘OnLine Security’.