Latest news with #AdamCartwright
Daily Mail
16-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Australia Post customers warned to be on high alert for new 'Darcula' scam texts
Australia Post has issued a warning about a new scam exposing countless of its customers to massive personal and financial losses. The scam, known as 'Darcula', involves sending fradulent messages purportedly sent by Australia Post, advising customers that their delivery had failed due to an invalid post code. Customers are then asked to click on a link to a page that appears similar to Australia Post's website where they are asked to provide personal information. Australia Post shared the alert on its website on Friday, reminding Australians it would never call, text or email customers to request access to personal or financial information or payment. It also shared new research which found nine in 10 Aussies have received a scam text or call while nearly three-quarters have been targeted by scams mimicking parcel delivery services. 'Scammers prey on busy lifestyles and the excitement and urgency in waiting for a package', Australia Post chief information security officer Adam Cartwright said. '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.' Hacker and founder of Sydney-based cybersecurity firm Dvuln Jamieson O'Reilly told Daily Mail Australia the consequences of falling prey to a Darcula scam could be dire depending on how far the scammer was willing to go. 'As soon as the victim enters their details, the information appears in the criminal's dashboard. They can watch it live and immediately use the information,' he said. 'They might drain bank accounts, steal identities, or sell the information on dark web forums.' Mr O'Reilly said the scam was an example of a 'Phishing-as-a-Service' platform. 'It gives cybercriminals a turnkey solution to launch sophisticated brand impersonation campaigns,' he said. 'Unlike older phishing kits that rely on hackers cloning legitimate websites and using these static phishing pages, Darcula is a little more innovative. 'It's offered as a subscription-based cybercrime toolkit that makes it incredibly easy for scammers to launch fake websites that look like trusted brands such as Auspost or DHL.' Mr O'Reilly said the new scam recently entered its third iteration, opening the field to less-skilled scammers who can benefit from the increasingly automated platform. 'Criminals don't need to be technical. They just pick a brand, choose a scam message (like 'you missed a parcel'), and Darcula sets everything up for them,' he said.
7NEWS
16-05-2025
- Business
- 7NEWS
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 '. 'If the website URL doesn't end in . 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 and 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.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sophisticated phishing scam impersonates postal giant
Australians are being urged to be on alert as a sophisticated scam is circulating in text messages and emails, impersonating one of the country's largest organisations. Dubbed "Darcula", the phishing scam sends out fraudulent messages claiming that a delivery from Australia Post failed due to an invalid postcode. It lures recipients into clicking malicious links, designed to steal personal information. The scam uses advanced techniques to bypass telco and network filters, allowing it to spread over iMessage and Rich Communication Services. It comes as new data released by the postal giant reveals that more than 90 per cent of Australians have been targeted by scammers in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of people have reported that scams commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery. This is a worrying statistic, according to Adam Cartwright, chief information security officer at Australia Post. He said it has never been more important to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries. "If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages, always check the (AusPost) app first," he said. Australians reported close to 250,000 scams last year, with financial losses totalling $318.8 million according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. Phone scams had the highest overall losses for contact method with $107.2 million reported lost across 2179 reporters. Australia Post is urging customers to remain vigilant and warn that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fake. Australia Post will never request personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card details, or account information. The service will also never contact customers via call, text, or email to ask for payment.
The Advertiser
16-05-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
Sophisticated phishing scam impersonates postal giant
Australians are being urged to be on alert as a sophisticated scam is circulating in text messages and emails, impersonating one of the country's largest organisations. Dubbed "Darcula", the phishing scam sends out fraudulent messages claiming that a delivery from Australia Post failed due to an invalid postcode. It lures recipients into clicking malicious links, designed to steal personal information. The scam uses advanced techniques to bypass telco and network filters, allowing it to spread over iMessage and Rich Communication Services. It comes as new data released by the postal giant reveals that more than 90 per cent of Australians have been targeted by scammers in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of people have reported that scams commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery. This is a worrying statistic, according to Adam Cartwright, chief information security officer at Australia Post. He said it has never been more important to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries. "If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages, always check the (AusPost) app first," he said. Australians reported close to 250,000 scams last year, with financial losses totalling $318.8 million according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. Phone scams had the highest overall losses for contact method with $107.2 million reported lost across 2179 reporters. Australia Post is urging customers to remain vigilant and warn that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fake. Australia Post will never request personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card details, or account information. The service will also never contact customers via call, text, or email to ask for payment. Australians are being urged to be on alert as a sophisticated scam is circulating in text messages and emails, impersonating one of the country's largest organisations. Dubbed "Darcula", the phishing scam sends out fraudulent messages claiming that a delivery from Australia Post failed due to an invalid postcode. It lures recipients into clicking malicious links, designed to steal personal information. The scam uses advanced techniques to bypass telco and network filters, allowing it to spread over iMessage and Rich Communication Services. It comes as new data released by the postal giant reveals that more than 90 per cent of Australians have been targeted by scammers in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of people have reported that scams commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery. This is a worrying statistic, according to Adam Cartwright, chief information security officer at Australia Post. He said it has never been more important to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries. "If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages, always check the (AusPost) app first," he said. Australians reported close to 250,000 scams last year, with financial losses totalling $318.8 million according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. Phone scams had the highest overall losses for contact method with $107.2 million reported lost across 2179 reporters. Australia Post is urging customers to remain vigilant and warn that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fake. Australia Post will never request personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card details, or account information. The service will also never contact customers via call, text, or email to ask for payment. Australians are being urged to be on alert as a sophisticated scam is circulating in text messages and emails, impersonating one of the country's largest organisations. Dubbed "Darcula", the phishing scam sends out fraudulent messages claiming that a delivery from Australia Post failed due to an invalid postcode. It lures recipients into clicking malicious links, designed to steal personal information. The scam uses advanced techniques to bypass telco and network filters, allowing it to spread over iMessage and Rich Communication Services. It comes as new data released by the postal giant reveals that more than 90 per cent of Australians have been targeted by scammers in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of people have reported that scams commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery. This is a worrying statistic, according to Adam Cartwright, chief information security officer at Australia Post. He said it has never been more important to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries. "If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages, always check the (AusPost) app first," he said. Australians reported close to 250,000 scams last year, with financial losses totalling $318.8 million according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. Phone scams had the highest overall losses for contact method with $107.2 million reported lost across 2179 reporters. Australia Post is urging customers to remain vigilant and warn that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fake. Australia Post will never request personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card details, or account information. The service will also never contact customers via call, text, or email to ask for payment. Australians are being urged to be on alert as a sophisticated scam is circulating in text messages and emails, impersonating one of the country's largest organisations. Dubbed "Darcula", the phishing scam sends out fraudulent messages claiming that a delivery from Australia Post failed due to an invalid postcode. It lures recipients into clicking malicious links, designed to steal personal information. The scam uses advanced techniques to bypass telco and network filters, allowing it to spread over iMessage and Rich Communication Services. It comes as new data released by the postal giant reveals that more than 90 per cent of Australians have been targeted by scammers in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of people have reported that scams commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery. This is a worrying statistic, according to Adam Cartwright, chief information security officer at Australia Post. He said it has never been more important to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries. "If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages, always check the (AusPost) app first," he said. Australians reported close to 250,000 scams last year, with financial losses totalling $318.8 million according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. Phone scams had the highest overall losses for contact method with $107.2 million reported lost across 2179 reporters. Australia Post is urging customers to remain vigilant and warn that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fake. Australia Post will never request personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card details, or account information. The service will also never contact customers via call, text, or email to ask for payment.
Perth Now
15-05-2025
- Business
- Perth Now
Sophisticated phishing scam impersonates postal giant
Australians are being urged to be on alert as a sophisticated scam is circulating in text messages and emails, impersonating one of the country's largest organisations. Dubbed "Darcula", the phishing scam sends out fraudulent messages claiming that a delivery from Australia Post failed due to an invalid postcode. It lures recipients into clicking malicious links, designed to steal personal information. The scam uses advanced techniques to bypass telco and network filters, allowing it to spread over iMessage and Rich Communication Services. It comes as new data released by the postal giant reveals that more than 90 per cent of Australians have been targeted by scammers in their lifetime. Meanwhile, 74 per cent of people have reported that scams commonly impersonate shipping and parcel delivery. This is a worrying statistic, according to Adam Cartwright, chief information security officer at Australia Post. He said it has never been more important to rely on trusted channels when managing deliveries. "If you're expecting a parcel, don't click on suspicious links or respond to unexpected messages, always check the (AusPost) app first," he said. Australians reported close to 250,000 scams last year, with financial losses totalling $318.8 million according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. Phone scams had the highest overall losses for contact method with $107.2 million reported lost across 2179 reporters. Australia Post is urging customers to remain vigilant and warn that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names, both real and fake. Australia Post will never request personal or financial information, such as passwords, credit card details, or account information. The service will also never contact customers via call, text, or email to ask for payment.
