Latest scams, fraud and security alerts

 Posted on 12 December 2024

Card collection scam

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We are aware of a new scam involving criminals impersonating trusted organisations like banks, IT companies, or phone companies, claiming that your bank accounts or computers are not secure. They may ask for your PIN and instruct you to leave your bank card in your letterbox so it can be cancelled and replaced. They may even ask you to withdraw cash and leave it in the letterbox instead.

These scammers use technology to spoof legitimate phone numbers and may call or send texts in the same thread as your real bank. Scamwatch reports indicate that older and vulnerable Australians living alone are being targeted, with large sums of money being stolen.

Scammers usually pretend to be from trusted organisations to gain your trust. They are likely to create fear about the security of your money or device, prompting you to act without verifying their claims. Once they have your card and PIN, they can withdraw money from your account.

 Posted on 11 December 2024

Be alert to scams this festive season

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With the festive season upon us, it’s crucial to strengthen your defences against cybercrime and stay vigilant to scams.

During the busy end-of-year and peak online shopping period, our heightened online activity can make us more vulnerable to scams and cyber-attacks.

Cybercriminals often exploit this time of year, preying on people who may be more likely to respond to ‘urgent’ requests or clicking on fake websites. As we prepare for the festive season, it’s essential to be on the lookout for scams such as: Online Stores or Booking Agencies, Parcel Delivery, eCards and Charities.

 Posted on 31 October 2024

Bulk email extortion scam targets Australians

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ScamWatch has published an alert about criminals attempting to extort Australians through emails. The email falsely claims to have compromising images or videos of the intended victims obtained by hacking into people’s computers or webcams.

The criminals threaten to release the images or videos unless paid, using personal details like birth dates and addresses to intimidate victims. These details likely come from previous data breaches.

If you receive such emails, do not respond, or pay any money. This scam is a type of threat and impersonation scam, where criminals may use intimidation to extort money.

For more information visit: Scam alert: Bulk email extortion scam | Scamwatch
 

 Posted on 21 October 2024

Bank impersonation scam alert

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How does it work?

The National Anti-Scam Centre is warning consumers to be wary of bank impersonation scams.  ANZ encourages customers to be cautious of any unsolicited calls, emails or messages from someone claiming to be from their bank, requesting they provide their personal or financial information, transfer funds, or provide a one-time security code over the phone.

Scammers often claim to be calling from the bank’s fraud department and may refer to an account compromise, suspicious transaction, or online banking outage to try to create a sense of urgency.

The call may appear to come from the bank’s legitimate phone number or a very similar number, or by a text message that appears in the same conversation thread as genuine bank messages or an email appearing to come from the bank.

Remember, ANZ will never ask you to:

• Share sensitive information like your One Time Passcode (OTP), verification code (for payment), PIN or card details.
• Transfer money to another account.
• Open a new account.
• Provide access to your device.
• Download software.

 Posted on 11 December 2024

Be alert to scams this festive season

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With the festive season upon us, it’s crucial for businesses to strengthen their defences against cybercrime and for consumers to stay vigilant.

The increased use of digital tools for everyday tasks has led to a surge in cyber-attacks, impacting both individuals and businesses. During the busy end-of-year and peak online shopping period, our heightened online activity can make us more vulnerable to scams and cyber-attacks.

Cybercriminals often exploit this time of year, preying on people who may be more likely to respond to ‘urgent’ requests or click on links in emails. As businesses prepare for the festive shutdown, it’s essential to ensure that cyber resiliency plans are up-to-date and that scam awareness is heightened.

Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility, and staying vigilant is crucial. By taking these proactive steps, you can help safeguard your business, your customers, and your staff against cyber threats during the festive season and beyond.

 Posted on 02 December 2024

Protect Your Business from Remote Access Scams

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We are seeing a continuous rise in remote access scam attempts where cybercriminals impersonate bank representatives to gain unauthorised access to your systems. These scams may lead to significant financial losses and data breaches.

Cybercriminals often claim to be calling from a bank’s fraud department, referring to an account compromise, suspicious transaction, or online banking outage to create a sense of urgency. They may send messages that include a link to a website controlled by the scammer, where you might be prompted to enter important banking information.

Remember, ANZ will NEVER ask you to:

• Share sensitive banking details like passwords, PIN’s, ANZ Shield codes, token codes or one-time passcodes (for payments).
• Download software.
• Provide access to your device.
• Transfer money to another account.
• Scan QR codes to verify transactions.

 Posted on 20 November 2024

Payment Redirection Scam

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Be cautious when processing requests to update phone, email or bank details from third-party suppliers. These requests could be part of a payment redirection scam.

Cybercriminals may impersonate a legitimate supplier, create a fake business and ABN, and contact your business, requesting updates to supplier details such as:

• New contact details (phone numbers or email addresses)
• Updated bank account information

Since contact details have been updated, verification processes may fail, leading to unintentional contact with the scammer.

 Posted on 31 October 2024

Critical alert from the Australian Signals Directorate's Australian Cyber Security Centre (ASD's ACSC)

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The ASD's ACSC has published a critical alert regarding vulnerabilities affecting FortiManager devices.

Fortinet are aware of active exploitation of vulnerable instances. This vulnerability has been allocated a CVSSv3 score of 9.8.