Scammers dressing up as Telstra workers
Summary: Telstra has warned customers across Australia to beware of fraudsters posing as Telstra staff as well as hoax e-mails seeking financial data.
Telstra has warned customers across Australia to beware of fraudsters posing as Telstra staff as well as hoax e-mails seeking financial data.
Telstra has been "inundated" by calls from customers, predominantly from regional New South Wales, regarding door knockers posing as employees of the telco.
"We've sent all our area managers some advice to share with customers. We've been inundated with several hoaxes and several door knocker complaints," a Telstra spokesperson said.
"It seems to be concentrated in some regional areas. New South Wales has had lots of feedback but that could be due to the number of people from the state," he added.
According to the spokesperson, threats to customer security typically spike during the beginning of the year, although the telco does not know why the trend occurs.
In the letter to customers, Telstra explained that it does outsource its door knockers, and reminds customers that all staff are given Telstra identification cards, which customers should check.
"There is also our Sales Watch Hotline if there are any concerns and to help identify if it's a genuine Telstra person," the telco's spokesperson said.
Telstra customers are also being targeted in phishing campaigns with numerous cases of fake e-mails being reported by customers. Telstra does communicate with its customers by e-mail, but it says that attachments are only sent on special occasions.
"We do communicate with clients by e-mail. That always includes the full company name and ABN (Australian Business Number). We also ask customers to log in to the Mybigpond secure Web page," the spokesperson said. "We never ask customers to send confidential e-mails, we don't include links to download and only include attachments if there is a strong reason to explain why," he added.
However a more pressing problem, according to the telco, is that customers are being called by fraudsters in overseas call centres who are also seeking financial and identity information.
"It's something which spikes every couple of years but we haven't seen this level of complaints for well over a year," the spokesperson said.
"We suspect these calls are coming from outside Australia. The vast majority are from international call centres. A dead giveaway [for a fraudulent caller] is when people claim they are from Telecom Australia. Some of them haven't clicked that we changed our name to Telstra a few years ago."
Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.
Talkback
First one to make a joke...
Sol
Amateur Week
All you've done is help the scammers refine their techniques by telling them where their weaknesses are.
All that is missing is a high res image of a Telstra ID card so that "customers" know how to distinguish the real thing.
who is scamming who?
What Businesses?
That is a very intriguing comment. Please elaborate.
This will no doubt turn this thread into nothing more than a gossip column, but I'm interested to hear the scandal... as completely off topic as it is.
Besot with brain fade!
No wonder they are going into business for themselves in the luxury of a fully serviced Telstra office. Because they can.
Settle, Petal........
Whats the news here?
You sound like a scammer yourself
sol scammers
Wayne Bunbury WA
Re: whats the news here
Re: whats the news here
Bigpond is just a scam
Who in their right minds pay for their 600mb ADSL2+ plans?. Telstra/Bigpond you are a complete basket case. And Sol you have been ripping off people for way to long.
I dont know how some people can support Telstra. Oh and thanks for giving me and plenty of other people the sack as well. You can shove your anti competative corperation right up your brown spot. I never recommend Telstra to anyone now. You are a complete scum Sol.
Thank for nothing.
Do the math. As Sol would say.
For the real story keep an eye out tomorrow for the half yearly report from Telstra. Perhaps it will be your good fortune to be jolted into reality.
Cause and effect.
Re: what's the news here
I can tell you are one big joke Carl - LOL!
10 years of employment!
A few years?
A few years? IIRC it was in 1996.
Re: 10 years
Not trying to justify Telstras decision, but regardless of origins, Telstra has been sold and is now trying to operate as a private company, but under duress of regulations, which nearly all other companies do not have. As such, I believe the redundancy scenario you outline is 'part' of the unfortunate downside to regulated competition!
Its something which hasn't really been touched upon too much, but with more and more competition to Telstra, Telstra will in turn have its market share reduced and therefore require less staff. Under normal business circumstances and true competition, this wouldnt be quite as bad, as it can then lead to employment opportunities elsewhere, with other growing and competing companies. But whilst ever competitors can simply access Telstras network and re-sell Telstra product as their own, competitors have no need or incentive to invest and/or employ but minimal staff, whilst Telstra reduces staff. Double whammy!
Perhaps if the regulatory concessions competitors receive had been gradually phased out over the 10 year period they have been operating, instead of being actively promoted, by having regulated access prices continually decreased, then more investment would have subsequently followed and *just maybe these distasteful redundancy decisions may not have been required or employment elsewhere in the sector more readily available*!
Ho hum
That's the original scam uncle Scrooge.
Still yearning for someone who can think beyond just making money.