You may be aware of the rollout of the National Broadband Network (NBN) across Australia aimed to improve internet access and reliability. You may not be aware that scammers are taking advantage of the rollout, posing as NBN representatives to steal your personal details from you.
The changes that need to happen as part of the national switch to NBN will affect everyone, so it's important to be vigilant against unscrupulous individuals who will use this to their advantage.
Fraudsters pretending to be from NBN are targeting individuals, especially those who use a home landline. It's best to be wary of anyone who unexpectedly claims they're signing you up to the new service!
The principal aim of the scammers is to extract your most valuable personal information from you, such as your name, date of birth and Medicare number. Using these details, scammers may be able to gain access to your bank and superannuation accounts. Scamwatch, set up by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), has recently received over 300 complaints about such activity. Some people report having been scammed out of thousands of dollars. Unfortunately, people aged over 65 – who are more likely to be using only a landline and are more likely to be at home during the day – are particularly vulnerable. Now is a good time to make other people in your life aware that they could be the victims of such scams.
How you could be targeted
Here are just a few of the preferred strategies scammers use:
- Unsolicited cold-calling – Scamwatch has reported an increase in complaints about callers who impersonate NBN staff to request personal details or money.
- A deal you can't refuse – scammers may offer an amazing deal to sign you up (eg, a reduced price for connection) and could ask you to pay them in unusual ways, such as with iTunes gift cards.
- Asking for access to your computer to "fix" a problem – scammers may claim there's a serious problem with your computer and ask to access it remotely; once in, they can install harmful software or gain access to your personal data.
Forewarned is forearmed
It's important to know that NBN is a wholesaler, and will never contact you directly by phone to sell you anything. Although NBN will deliver the new network, phone and internet providers, such as the supplier of your current services, will facilitate the sales.
If someone calls you or turns up at your home asking for your personal details, such as your name, address, Medicare number, car licence number and bank account details, don't give them out. It is best to contact your service provider directly or consult the NBN website to find out which service might suit you best.
Find out more
To find out more about NBN, including when the NBN network will be available at your home or business address, you can go to the NBN website (https://www1.nbnco.com.au). You can also follow @scamwatch_gov on Twitter, or sign up to Scamwatch radar alerts to keep abreast of security warnings.
Call us at Robert Goodman Accountants on 07 3289 1700 or email us at reception@rgoodman.com.au .
© Copyright 2018. All rights reserved. Source: Thomson Reuters. Brought to you by Robert Goodman Accountants.
