Detectives from the Financial and Cyber Crime Group (FCCG) are warning Queenslanders to remain vigilant, with scams continuing to target victims with tactics aiming to cause serious financial harm.
Police have received reports of elaborate scams impersonating police, government agencies, banks, cryptocurrency providers and cyber security organisations.
The caller impersonates an employee from the organisation, or in some reports Queensland Police, to legitimise the scam, before demanding payment to prevent harmful action against you, or requesting personal identifying information.
The practice known as ‘caller ID spoofing’ allows scammers to hide their real phone number while displaying a different number indicating they’re from a trusted organisation, such as a police station or government agencies and financial institutions.
Police and legitimate government agencies or financial institutions will never ask for your banking details or request payments via gift cards, cryptocurrency or money transfers.
If you receive an unsolicited call, take steps to independently verify the caller’s identity before sharing information or making any payment – regardless of the number displayed or who the caller claims to represent.
If in doubt; hang up, locate the official contact number yourself, and make a new call to confirm their request.
Police remind everyone to take the following precautions to reduce the risk of being scammed:
- If you are suspicious about the credentials of a person on the phone, ask questions. If they avoid answering or refuse to provide information, hang up.
- Never provide your financial PIN or account passwords to anyone.
- If you receive a threatening phone call or a call demanding money, hang up immediately.
- Never provide your personal or banking details to a person who calls you.
- Do not make any payments to a caller, including via phone, internet or cash.
- Never allow a caller remote access to your devices, including your computer and telephone.
- Don’t let scammers create a high-pressure situation to encourage you to make a decision on the spot.
If you think you have lost money, immediately report the transaction/s to your bank or financial institution and change your online banking passwords to secure your online accounts.
If you have received such a call and made payment to a potential scammer, contact your financial institution immediately and report the matter to the Australian Cyber Security Centre – ReportCyber.
If you did not lose any funds, you can still report the incident to Scamwatch.
Learn more about phone scams at the Scamwatch website, and QPS’s fraud and cybercrime resources, R U In Control.
If you have information for police, contact Policelink by providing information using the online suspicious activity form 24hrs per day at www.police.qld.gov.au/reporting.
Report crime information anonymously via Crime Stoppers. Call 1800 333 000 or report online at www.crimestoppersqld.com.au or call 131 444.
