Centrelink, Australia Post warn customers about fake information scam
Centrelink has released a warning about prevalent scams targeting customers on Friday.
It noted fake information on dodgy websites and social media accounts, threatening penalties and account cancellations.
'These unofficial websites and social media accounts are sharing information about Centrelink payments that isn't real,' Services Australia said.
'This is called clickbait. Clickbait is usually misleading and made to get your attention.'
Bogus claims include Centrelink pensioners being asked to provide extra documents to meet new requirements and undergo new eligibility and verification processes.
The clickbait websites and social media accounts also mention cash relief in the form of one-off payments.
'They offer varying amounts of money, including $750, $1800 and $4100,' Services Australia said.
'These payments don't exist.'
When talking about one-off and bonus payments, the fake sites and social media accounts might say they'll help with the cost of living, and offer relief to people getting an Age Pension, Carer Payment or Carer Allowance, or anyone with a concession card.
Services Australia said that people falling for these scams were exacerbating the issue.
'People are sharing these websites on social media, thinking the information is real,' it said.
One way to rule out potentially fake website is to check the URL for '.gov.au'.
'If the website URL doesn't end in .gov.au then it isn't an official government website. It could be a scam,' Services Australia said.
'The only genuine Services Australia and myGov websites are servicesaustralia.gov.au and my.gov.au.'
Sophisticated scam techniques
Centrelink is not the only government-facilitated service that has recently released a warning.
Australia Post alerted people on Friday about a scam it said has affected nine out of 10 Australians.
The scam is part of the 'Darcula phishing-as-a-service operation', the national postal service said.
'Darcula's sophisticated techniques bypass telecommunications and network filters to send scams over iMessage and Rich Communication Services (RCS), making them harder to block.'
Australia Post surveyed a nationally representative sample of 1000 Australians in April this year, and found that nine out of 10 Australians had received a scam text.
Three quarters of that have specifically been hit with a text from scammers impersonating Australia Post.
The latest fraudulent texts from Australia Post impersonators claim a delivery has failed due to an invalid postal code.
This lures recipients into clicking malicious links which take them to websites, where they are prompted to hand over personal information.
The survey also showed that '85 per cent (of respondents) are more concerned about scams today than they were 12 months ago.'
Australia Post chief information security officer Adam Cartwright said: 'Scammers prey on busy lifestyles and the excitement and urgency in waiting for a package.'
'The safest way to track your deliveries is directly through the official AusPost app. If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages — always check the app first.'
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