Australians are being warned about an SMS scam where recipients receive a text message advising them they have an unpaid toll to pay. The message includes a link to pay a bill or provide details.
Even if you don’t provide any payment or other personal details after clicking the link, simply clicking the link can expose you to this scam, with victims discovering fraudulent credit card charges surfacing afterwards.
According to the ACCC, there have already been round 750 reports of this scam since January 2022 with significant losses occurring. Further, scam activity continues to be a growing issue, with Aussie’s losing a record $2 billion in 2021 due to scams despite an increase in efforts to combat them.
What should you do?
- If you receive a text message or any other
communication requesting payment, do not
click on any links
- Delete it right away
- Report scam messages to the toll provider or via the Federal
Government’s Scam Watch website.
- If you’ve clicked on a link or provided any personal details from a message you suspect is a scam, you should contact us immediately. You can also lock your card instantly from within the app. We will arrange to cancel your card and order you a new one.
- Only ever manage your account and payments via the provider’s secure app or by navigating directly to the provider’s website. This means typing in the URL yourself and not relying on links, bookmarks or any other shortcut.
Where to find more information
For more information on scams and what you can do to protect yourself, go to www.scamwatch.gov.au