Yahoo Finance Major Centrelink warning for millions: ‘Beware’
Services Australia has told Aussies to watch out for scammers impersonating them on social media.
Aussies are being urged to watch out for scammers impersonating Centrelink staff. Scammers are setting up fake social media profiles and tricking Aussies into handing over their personal information.
Services Australia said fraudsters were creating “convincing” accounts that looked like Services Australia, myGov, Medicare, Centrelink and even employees. The accounts often have small differences in the name or spelling of the username, which can be a red flag that they aren’t genuine.
“Scammers will comment on our posts pretending they can help you. They’re usually after money or your personal information,” Services Australia said.
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“They may say that they can help you get priority service from us, top up your Centrelink payments, or refer you to someone that can help.”
Services Australia warned Aussies to “beware” of the scammers and stressed the offers of help weren’t real.
“We won't private message you or ask you to join a live chat, ask you to pay for our help, or ask for your personal information online, by text message or in an email,” the agency said.
Have you fallen for a Centrelink scam? Share your story with tamika.seeto@yahooinc.com
Services Australia has a list of verified social media accounts on its website. If the account isn’t on there, it’s a scammer.
Aussies reported losing $95 million from social media scams last year, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre, a whopping 250 per cent increase since 2020.
Nearly half of these occurred on messaging platform WhatsApp, while one in five happening on Facebook.
Older Aussies aged over 65 experienced the highest losses, accounting for 35 per cent of all losses.
The government has announced new laws that would impose fines of up to $50 million for banks, telcos and social media who fail to comply with new obligations to prevent, detect, disrupt and report scams.
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