Recently, some Telstra customers have fallen victim to a scam. In this article, we’ll look at how this happened and how you can prevent yourself or vulnerable loved ones from falling for a scam.
How did this scam work?
A group of scammers sent letters to Telstra Customers pretending to be Telstra. The letter claimed that someone had hacked into the Telstra network, and they needed money to get rid of the issues. They claimed someone would come to their house to collect the money.
To make it even stranger, the letter also claimed that this process would be part of a secret mission; therefore, nobody could know about it.
After learning about the scam, Scamwatch, which the ACCC runs, sent out a warning to ensure customers were aware not to hand over their money to the scammers.
How to spot a scam.
With this scam, one giveaway clue was the phrase “Secret Mission.” For a start, Telstra doesn’t do secret missions. But, even when a company does, they hire people for it, as it requires specific skills. Nobody would ever randomly contact their customer and ask them to do a secret mission.
Secondly, scammers almost always make spelling and grammar mistakes. Even though services such as Grammarly are free, most scammers still litter their emails with errors that anyone who speaks English would notice immediately. For example, I once got an email that said my “Amazon Account would be cancelled if” I didn’t “renew my membership”.
Another sign to look out for is how keen they seem to get this money. You must become highly suspicious if anyone pressures you to hand over money before a specific date. If you genuinely owe money to a company, they will contact you to let you know why you owe the money and provide a plan for if you can’t pay it all in one go. If you need clarification on whether or not a request for money is genuine, contact them on another medium, such as online, or via another phone number.
And finally, if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. So, if someone says you have won $1 million and need you to transfer them $10, chances are, you have not won $10, and they are just scamming you.
Who is most vulnerable to scams
The truth is, we all have the potential to fall for a scam. Even those who think themselves far too smart to fall for anything. Scammers are often incredibly intelligent and will play on people’s weaknesses to get them to hand over money.
However, older people are likely to be the primary targets of scams like the recent Telstra Scam. Older people are generally not as technologically literate as other people, so they are more likely to believe claims about “secret missions.” Additionally, phones are changing very rapidly. For example, 20 years ago, people didn’t even have 2G, and now we have 5G. This fast-paced change can make it easier for older people to become confused.
But it’s not just older people. Lonely people of any age are also more likely to fall for scams, mainly romance or sex-based scams. Low-income people are also at risk of becoming victims of finance-based scams.
In 2021, Australians lost a total of $ 2 billion to scams. The most common type was investment ($ 701 million), with redirection ($ 227 million) and romance ($ 142 million) in second and third place.
What do telcos need to do about scams?
Combatting scammers must be a combined effort between the government, society, and telcos.
From the telco’s perspective, they need to clarify HOW they contact people or what they will NEVER ask for. For example, a banner on their websites or in their shops saying, “If we don’t email you, it’s likely a scam.” This way, people will know to be cautious if they get a letter from a company that “only emails.”
Additionally, regular contact may also help. The telco will have a much better idea of who the customer is, and the customer will also be able to spot when they are and aren’t talking to someone from the telco.
Finally, an approachable customer service department that knows what to do with customers who may become victims of scams is incredibly wise.
Conclusion
These scams are increasingly ‘popular’ and pervasive. They add to an environment of risk / constant vigilance online. For most people, those who count themselves as ‘non-technical,’ it must seem like, almost every day, there is an article in the news with some terrifying consequence for the unwary. Suppose it’s not a phone company or a medical insurance company being hacked, and the details shared with all and sundry. In that case, it’s money being moved out of an unsuspecting, completely innocent individual.
We at WhatPhone are not exempt. For a short while, a couple of years ago, scammers used our branding to sell several Australian iPhones at low prices – which never showed up for the purchaser. We noticed that the branding on these fakes is very poorly done. You can see in the image of the Telstra scam letter that the brand is shown with a disproportionate ratio of side/top. In short – it is the Telstra logo, but it doesn’t look right. The same was true of the scammers who tried to use our branding. We hope our experience and Telstra’s letter can help you before you are trapped.
If you’re unsure, the best thing to do is call the company and check – mainly if an iPhone deal looks too good.