Scam Alert

We were recently contacted by the Australian Cyber Security Centre regarding the below scam and wanted to share this information with our members.

Australian Cyber Security Centre Scam Alert

We were recently contacted by the Australian Cyber Security Centre regarding the below scam and wanted to share this information with our members.

What’s happened?

Scammers purporting to be from ACSC are calling Australians and attempting to trick them into installing malicious software on personal devices.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre warns some Australians are receiving phone calls from scammers purporting to be ACSC employees and claiming the receiving person’s computer has been compromised.

These malicious callers are known as ‘remote access scammers’ and they request individuals to download ‘TeamViewer’ or ‘AnyDesk’ onto their device to help resolve the malware issue.

The scammer then attempts to persuade recipients to take actions, such as enter a URL into a browser and access online banking service, which then compromises their computer to reveal banking information, enabling them access to transfer funds.

Some recipients of these calls have reported to ACSC that the scammers may have spoofed legitimate caller ID numbers, to make their unsolicited calls appear more authentic.

Protect yourself from remote access scams

NEVER provide your personal and financial details or give a stranger remote access to your device or computer – simply hang up.

Australian Government agencies will never contact individuals asking for remote access to use computers or request funds to be transferred for an investigation.

If you receive a suspicious phone call, we recommend you hang up and report the incident to Scamwatch and the affected government agency.

To report a cybercrime or cyber security incident through ReportCyber, see www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/report.

How do I stay safe? 

  • If you've received one of these calls but have not engaged with the scammer, you can report it to Scamwatch.
  • If the cybercriminal has accessed your device via Team Viewer, Zoho Assist or AnyDesk, you should report it to ReportCyber and immediately notify your bank. Your financial institution may be able to put a temporary freeze on your financial accounts.
  • To prevent further compromise, you should also change passwords on all your important online accounts including banking, email and social media, and turn on two-factor authentication for extra security.

If you’re in doubt about a call claiming to be from a government agency or Australian business and want to verify its legitimacy, contact the organisation by sourcing their details separately from their website, NOT using the phone number or other details from the incoming call.

More information 

Many organisations have dedicated scam pages on their websites alerting the public to the latest scams.

ACSC has launched an interactive quiz, to help Australians spot the warning signs of phishing (scam) messages. Make sure you share the quiz with your colleagues, family and friends, available at www.cyber.gov.au/scam-messages.

Read more about remote access and threat-based impersonation scams – including what to do if you have given personal information to a scammer.

CONTACT ACSC Facebook: www.facebook.com/staysmartonline Email: staysmart.online@defence.gov.au Web: www.cyber.gov.au

Last updated: 10 November 2020

The information contained in this article is only correct at the point of time of publication. It is general information and has been prepared without taking into account your personal circumstances, objectives or needs. Please consider if this information is right for you before making a decision to acquire any product.

Community First Credit Union LimitedABN 80 087 649 938 | Operating as Community First Bank | AFSL and Australian credit licence 231204| BSB 512-170