Scams and hoaxes

We are aware of a current browser pop-up scam that is targeting Vodafone customers.

The pop up asks you to click on a link as part of a reward programme, and fill out a survey to win prizes. The pop up adds a sense of urgency by adding a time limit at the bottom.

The link then requires you to pay a small amount via credit card to redeem your prize.

Vodafone will never ask you to fill out forms with personal details to win a prize. If you are browsing the web and receive a pop up, please close the browser. If you have been a victim of this scam, please visit scamwatch.gov.au or report the scam here: Scam Lodgement Form | Vodafone Australia

We are aware of a scam targeting customers relating to nbn® faults or works in their area.

The scammers may contact consumers in person or over the phone to offer either a new nbn® connection or support in setting up an existing connection. The scammers will then try to gain payment details or access computers either remotely or in person. Scammers may also send a fake SMS posing as Vodafone offering or confirming an nbn® appointment.

Vodafone will never contact you and ask for your payment details relating to an nbn® appointment or fault and will never request to access your computer or devices in person or ask you to load a website that gives them access remotely.

• If someone contacts you in person or over the phone and requests access to your computer or devices, close the door or hang up on them.
• If you are ever contacted by someone posing as Vodafone and you are uncomfortable or unsure if it is a scam, hang up and call us back on 1300 650 410.
• If you ever receive an SMS from Vodafone confirming an nbn® installation appointment that you haven’t requested, do not respond, and report it.
• Always request identification before allowing technicians to enter your home.
• Never allow anyone to access your personal computer or device either in person or over the phone.
• Vodafone technicians will never request payment or payment details from customers.

Report any suspicious behaviour by using our online form and visiting www.scamwatch.gov.au. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, or a scammer has gained access to your banking information contact your financial institution immediately.

We’ve seen an increase in scammers sending unsolicited messages posing as online gambling sites and casinos.

These messages invite the recipient to click a link promising bonuses and the potential to win money. While the website and SMS may look like it is from a gambling site, the websites are used to harvest personal information by requesting sign up information and banking credentials and may infect your device with malware.

If you receive an unsolicited SMS inviting you to a gambling site, do not click the link or provide personal information.

Have you been contacted by someone purporting to be Vodafone and offering a deal that sounds too good to be true? It most likely is. Fraudsters target individuals with enticing offers for early upgrades, discounted plans, and exclusive deals.

They may use current affairs such as the latest phone release, COVID-19, the cost-of-living crisis, or natural disasters as a reason for the call and will ask you to “confirm” the order by sending you a one-time passcode and asking you to provide the code. When purchasing a device with Vodafone, please consider the below checklist:

• Vodafone will never contact you and ask you for a one-time passcode.
• Check the delivery address on the order is your address. We will never ship a device to a warehouse first.
• If you receive an incorrect device in the post, call us on 1300 650 410. Never return an incorrect device to an address provided by someone who contacts you.

We are aware of a scam targeting customers for payment information via SMS.

The message advises that there was a recent issue with a payment for your Vodafone service and to follow a link to make payment.

Vodafone will never proactively contact you asking for your credit card details. If you receive a text message from Vodafone requesting you to make payment, do not follow any links to websites or call any numbers that are unfamiliar to you.

Vodafone Australia is aware of a phishing scam targeting some of our customers posing as our retail stores or Customer Care.

The fraudsters are using a tactic known as spoofing to hide the number they are calling from and make it appear to be from one of our retail stores’ legitimate numbers or our Customer Care number which may show as 'Vodafone Care' when a call is received. The callers will make various threats in return for immediate credit card payments, large sum bank transfers or personal information. Several variations of this scam have been identified, they often start out as a recorded message asking you to select a number from the menu, and include:

• Targeting Chinese communities and threatening deportation or Visa cancellation
• Threatening to disconnect your phone or internet service if you do not make immediate payment
• Threatening to disconnect your or a family member’s phone service
• Claiming you are a fraud victim and offering reimbursements in return for your credit card details or phishing for personal information

If you receive a call from someone purporting to be Vodafone or another trusted company asking for your credit card or personal information, do not send any money or provide any personal or payment details. Never call back a number provided in an SMS or voicemail, only ever contact companies on a number listed on their public website.

Vodafone will never contact you asking for credit card details and our retail stores will never contact you asking for personal information.

For further information, including information in Chinese languages, please visit www.scamwatch.gov.au.

Have you received an unexpected message from someone claiming to be a family member or friend asking for money recently? You may have been targeted by a fraudster using a scam tactic known as the “Hi Mum” scam.

Fraudsters will send an SMS or WhatsApp message from an unfamiliar number purporting to be the targeted person’s family member and claim to be in need of urgent financial assistance. They may state they have lost or damaged their phone to deter any contact to their old number. The messages will then develop into the fraudster requesting money for things like bills or emergency funds as they have been locked out of their internet banking accounts.

If you receive a SMS or WhatsApp message from an unfamiliar number asking for money or claiming to be a loved one, do not transfer any funds.

Receiving SMS updates from postage companies when you have a parcel coming is something many of us see. Fraudsters are taking advantage of this by sending scam messages posing as legitimate postage companies.

These messages typically say that information is missing for the delivery or that there is a customs fee that needs to be paid and provide a link where your personal information is requested. Once the information is entered, personal and banking information is harvested to commit banking fraud and identity theft.

If you receive an SMS asking you to update details or pay a customs fee, do not click on the link or provide personal information. If you are expecting a parcel, make sure you check the original tracking details and contact the company if in doubt.

We’ve seen an increase in road toll SMS scams where messages are sent claiming that you have an unpaid toll and requesting payment.

The SMS will contain a malicious link which takes you to a website that looks like a legitimate companies’, and typically, the payment requests are for a small amount. The scammers will use the stolen financial information that is provided by the victim to commit fraud or infect their device with malware.

If you receive a SMS from a road toll company that you are not expecting, do not click on any of the links and contact the toll company directly to verify any outstanding payments.

You may receive scam SMS, calls or emails purporting to be the ATO or Services Australia when it’s close to tax time. There are many variations of tax time scams and fraudsters will try to obtain personal and credit card information by claiming you are eligible for a payment or that your account information is incorrect.

If you receive an SMS, call, or email purporting to be from the ATO asking for your payment or personal information, we suggest contacting the ATO directly using the contact methods on their website.

Number spoofing is where scammers manipulate their caller ID to display a different phone number.

Historically, scam calls used to come from Private or International numbers, so a call from a mobile number does look more legitimate and scammers have more success in deceiving recipients into believing the call is from a legitimate source. Number spoofing is commonly used in phishing and telemarketing scams.

We’ve also seen examples of customer’s legitimate mobile numbers being spoofed. If your number has been used for spoofing calls, you will likely start to receive calls and SMS from people who have received calls from your spoofed number.

We recommend that you ask these people to contact their service provider to report the call. While this can be frustrating, typically your number will only be spoofed for a short period of time.

Scammers are calling customers posing as nbn co limited or internet service providers and threatening disconnection of your service. Typically, an unexpected robocall will be made giving you an option to select so speak to someone.

The scammers will threaten disconnection of the service unless you provide personal information or make a payment. Scammers obtain this information to commit fraud and identity theft. If you receive a call threatening disconnection of your NBN, do not provide any information and disconnect the call.

A common tactic used by scammers is to try and gain remote access to your mobile and computer devices. Scammers will make contact posing as a legitimate company and try to coerce the victim into providing access to their device by creating a sense of urgency.

They may claim there is suspicious activity on your internet or phone service, that your service has been accessed from overseas or that you have been hacked.

Once they have access to the device, they may install malware or request that you login to applications such as email and internet banking which allows them access to your personal and banking information.

If you receive a call alleging to be a company that requires remote access to your devices, hang up and do not provide any personal information.

Received an unsolicited job offer through SMS or a WhatsApp message recently? We have seen recent examples of scam messages being sent posing as recruitment companies or businesses offering employment opportunities with enticing offers.

Once responded to, scammers will request personal information and sometimes an upfront payment as a recruitment fee.

Other examples include fake social media pages, such as LinkedIn, posing as employees of a company using the same method to try and phish for personal and credit card information.

If you receive a message regarding an employment opportunity, do not respond. Research the job offer and the company on the companies legitimate website and avoid sharing personal information.

Wangiri fraud is a scam that involves receiving a missed call from an international number. The scammers generate calls to a range of mobile numbers with the hopes that the victims will return the call. The scammers will then profit from the returned call due to the exorbitant charges of calling the international number.

If you receive a call from an international number you do not recognise or were not expecting, we recommend not returning the call.

We proactively monitor our network for Wangiri activity and to shut down fraudulent international ranges as we find them.

This is an issue affecting customers of mobile and fixed line operators around the globe, and we’re working with a number of different operators and industry groups to reduce Wangiri fraud levels.