There has been an increase in scammers sending fake messages to consumers alerting them of a purchase they supposedly made and providing a phone number to stop payments.
An alert from the Federal Government’s ScamWatch website stated people were receiving messages by text, email, app notification, calendar invitation and other ways.
“It might even include your details such as your name, email, phone number or address,” the warning read.
“The fake purchase is often between $300 and $2,000 and might be for items such as a phone, security software, plane or event tickets, or cryptocurrency.”
The statement said the message may mention a known payment service, such as PayPal and may also mention an account the customer had closed closed or an account they have never used.
“Scammers try to make you feel rushed by claiming you only have a short time to call the number before the money is taken from your account.”
Warning signs to look out for
- A message about a payment or purchase you don’t recognise.
- A phone number shown clearly with instructions to call if you didn’t make the purchase.
- A high-cost purchase, often $300 or more, to make you worry and call the number.
- Pressure to act quickly before the money is taken from your account.
- If you call the number, the scammer may:
- Ask for your bank or card details to give you a refund
- Say they paid you too much and ask you to send money back
- Get you to install software so they can control your device and access your accounts
- Ask you to help catch the scammers by buying gift cards sending photos of them.
Examples of scam messages
