It’s scamming season, or as some like to call it, August, and even though we’re only seven days in scammers are already doing what they do best – tricking the masses.
In a recent scamming attempt, unidentified scammers have sent out messages indiscriminately to phones across the country, with the same claim, “package detained at terminal”.
Now anyone would read that and immediately determine that scammers are afoot, but unfortunately for us, they’re learning. They’re adapting. Due to the way that mobile phones can combine conversations, the scam texts can appear in a genuine text conversation with Australia Post.
What this means is that if Australia Post has genuinely messaged you, all the texts will appear in one place. But now, the scams can appear straight after these messages, pretending to be official notifications from AusPost themselves.
The scam texts would look as follows:
The text message asks you to click on a shifty-looking link that isn’t at all related to Australia Post. These links lead to scam sites and can harm whichever device you are using at the time.
Allegedly, the message exists to tell you about a phone you won in a competition, sent from Dick Smith. The only catch is that the package has been detained at the terminal and is missing $1. It goes without saying that there is no phone, and sending over any form of financial information to “pay freight” will only lead in scammers accessing your personal details.
Australia Post have issued an official warning about the scams under their “August 2019” section of warnings. Again, it’s only been seven days guys.
In the warning, Australia Post writes:
“Australia Post has been made aware of fraudulent text messages that are circulating advising customers that they have a “package detained in terminal” and prompting them to click on a link.
“Please note that Australia Post will never email or text message you asking you to click on a link to print out a receipt/label for parcel collection/tracking or to access your package…
“If you believe you have sent any personal information to a scam email address or entered it into a scam website and are worried that your identity may have been stolen, please call ID CARE on 1300 432 273 as they provide free services to victims of identity theft.”
