With an increase of almost 300 per cent in 2019, Australians are losing more money to NBN scams.
So far in 2019 there has been more reports of NBN scams than the total amount of reports for the entire 2018 period.
This year, an average of more than $110,000 is lost by consumers each month to the scam. This is compared to the $38,500 average monthly losses through out 2018.
ACCC Acting Chair Delia Rickard has stated that “People aged 65 are particularly vulnerable, making the most reports of falling victim to the scam and losing more than $330,000 this year.”
The most reported types of scams include:
- Phone calls from scammers pretending to be the NBN in attempt to sell NBN services or equipment often at a discounted rate.
- Phone calls from scammers during a black out to offer you the option to stay connected during black outs at an extra fee.
- Phone calls or visits to the home from scammers to attempt to sign up people to the NBN by offering a better deal or to test the speed of their connection. They have been found to ask for personal information including name, address, date of birth, and Medicare number or ask for payment through gift cards.
- Phone calls from someone pretending to be from the NBN claiming that there is a problem with the victim’s phone or internet connection and required remote access to fix the problem. This then enables the scammer to install malware or steal valuable personal information, including bank details.
To avoid falling victim to any NBN scams that are circulating and you are unsure of the legitimacy of the caller, take their details and call your service provider directly.
The NBN Co is a wholesale-only company and therefore does not sell services directly to consumers. This will be done through your service provider.
If you are concerned that a scammer has gained access to your personal information including your bank account details, contact your financial institution immediately.