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Urgent warning issued about new myGov scam all Australians need to know about – here’s how to spot a fraudulent message
- Australians warned of fraudulent emails and text messages from myGov
- Recipients were told to click the hyperlink to claim the refund
Australians have been warned to remain vigilant about fraudulent emails or text messages claiming to be sent by myGov amid reports of a sharp increase in fraudulent messages.
ScamWatch revealed that the number of fraudulent messages being sent to Australians every day increased by a staggering 160 per cent in January compared to December.
Scammers pose as government officials and tell recipients to click on fraudulent links so they can claim a refund or rebate.
“Beware of emails and messages that appear to be from myGov saying you are eligible for a rebate or rebate,” ScamWatch warned on Twitter.
Australians have been warned not to click on any hyperlinks included in myGov emails or text messages amid reports of a sharp increase in fraudulent messages.
Scammers pose as government officials and tell recipients to click on fraudulent links so they can claim a refund or rebate
‘Never access myGov by clicking on a hyperlink.’
The scam watchdog shared two examples of the scam messages circulating online and on phones.
A text message claimed that the recipient was eligible for a refund and told them to click a hyperlink to confirm their bank details.
‘MyGov: We tried to deposit your refund but we had a problem [sic] with your bank information. please [sic] confirm your data’, the text said.
The second example featured a fraudulent email claiming the recipient was eligible to receive $198.92 and click the hyperlink.
After the last annual calculation, we noticed that you are eligible to receive an amount of $198.82 AUD,” the email said.
‘To submit the application electronically please complete the form. Once completed, you will be asked to confirm that the information in the document is correct.’
ScamWatch has shared several tips and tricks to help Australians recognize a fraudulent email or text message.
Poor grammar or punctuation are among the top red flags found in scam messages.
Hyperlinks are also never included in any email or text message sent by myGov.
Emails sent by the government agency will also not include the logo and will simply inform the recipient that they have received a new message in their inbox.
The warning comes after alarm bells sounded in January over another fraudulent email circulating online.
A text message claimed that the recipient was eligible for a refund and told them to click a hyperlink to confirm their bank details.
The bogus myGov emails claimed to offer “pending refunds” in the subject line, prompting readers to open the message.
Although the sender name says myGov, the first hint that the site is a scam is through its website address, which does not match the official one.
The body of the email addresses ‘customers’ and goes on to explain that the reader has a pending refund of $640.98, or a similar amount, available on myGov.
There is a link to accept payment online, which takes the reader to a fake login page where they are asked to enter their username and password.
They are then asked to provide their full name, address, phone number, credit card information, and CVV number.
“These details will again be stolen by the criminal and will likely be used for their personal financial gain or sold on the dark web,” said a statement from MailGuard, an email security software company.
The recipients are then asked to enter a code supposedly sent via their mobile phone, which is typically used to verify credit card payments.
Anyone who receives the suspicious email is urged not to provide any personal information, or they will face the loss of their personal data at the hands of cybercriminals on the dark web.