Australia Post's urgent warning over sinister scam: 'Delete immediately'
Australia Post has issued a warning about a wave of sneaky new phone scams which are designed to steal funds from unsuspecting customers.
The newest text message scam has even been made to appear as though it was sent through official Australia Post channels, proving that scammers are getting sneakier than ever.
"These scam messages are sent using 'AusPost' sender ID and, due to the way smart phones group these communications, the scam text would appear together with the legitimate thread of Australia Post messages," Australia Post warns.
"Once clicked, the link will lead to a fake Australia Post website which is designed to steal your personal and financial information."
One such message claims that the customer's parcel has been redirected, while another insists that a parcel was unable to be dropped off, requiring a fee to re-attempt delivery.
While most of the text messages' claims vary, each appears to feature a shortened link to a third party website which asks for some type of payment.
This month alone, Australia Post officials have become aware of two new fraudulent text messages being sent to their customer base under the guise of legitimate postie advice.
Australia Post has been targeted by impersonators for some time, with their scam website warning of new scams consistently since 2020.
Warning over sophisticated Australia Post scam: 'DELETE IMMEDIATELY'
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New 'sophisticated' scam includes fake tracking number
A newly discovered scam message, which was provided to Yahoo News, claims that an "abnormal delivery" has taken place. The message redirects customers to a payment website with the unofficial URL "australiapostm.com.au".
The tracking number LK144650546AU, which was previously used in scam emails, is also appearing in the new text message phishing scam.
How you can stay safe from Australia Post fakes
An Australia Post spokesperson confirmed with Yahoo News that the message is fraudulent, and has encouraged customers to confirm tracking and postal information through official channels only.
"We can confirm this is a scam. Scammers are becoming more sophisticated and often target people to steal important personal and financial information," the spokesperson said.
"Australia Post will never email or SMS you asking for personal information, financial information or payment.
"The safest way to securely track your deliveries is by downloading the Australia Post app."
Australia Post customers who believe they have received a fraudulent email or text message can forward it to scams@auspost.com.au, with Australia Post also encouraging customers to "delete it immediately".
Customers who believe they have fallen victim to a scammer are also invited to contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160.
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