Scam phone calls up 10 fold in two months: ACCC & ACMA issue warnings

Stuart Corner
Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:31

IT Policy - Regulation

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission and the have made a joint statement warning consumers to be wary of unsolicited 'scam' phone calls in the face of a ten fold increase in complaints about such calls in just two months.

ACMA Chairman, Chris Chapman, said: "Over the past two months complaints about scam telephone calls to the ACCC and the ACMA have increased significantly from 200 per month to around 2,000 across the two agencies." The agencies say these scams are also increasing in prevalence in other countries, notably the United Kingdom.

The agencies are telling Australians to be alert to "this growing threat that can deceive people into providing personal details," and to immediately hang up the phone if scammers call."

ACCC chairman, Graeme Samuel, said: "Consumers can stop themselves being scammed by never disclosing any personal or financial details to these callers. Cutting off the lifeline is the best way to disrupt scammers."

There are many tactics being used by scammers, but the ACCC and the ACMA are warning consumers to be particularly wary of:

- callers advising that the person's computer is infected with a virus and requesting credit card details to fix the problem;
- callers offering products, services or cash under fake government grants;
- callers seeking bank details in order to process a bank fee refund or tax refund;
- callers offering to place the person's number on the Do Not Call Register for a fee;
- recorded messages asking consumers to 'dial 9' for a 'free' holiday.