Advertisement
Australia markets open in 8 hours 37 minutes

  • ALL ORDS

    7,937.50
    -0.40 (-0.01%)
     

  • AUD/USD

    0.6502
    +0.0001 (+0.02%)
     

  • ASX 200

    7,683.00
    -0.50 (-0.01%)
     

  • OIL

    82.26
    -0.55 (-0.66%)
     

  • GOLD

    2,348.60
    +10.20 (+0.44%)
     

  • Bitcoin AUD

    97,705.91
    -2,039.02 (-2.04%)
     

  • CMC Crypto 200

    1,370.70
    -11.88 (-0.86%)
     

‘Is this legit?’: Australia Post customers confused by scam text

Jessica Yun
Updated
Australians have received scam texts that appear as though they have been sent by Australia Post. (Source: Twitter, Getty)
Australians have received scam texts that appear as though they have been sent by Australia Post. (Source: Twitter, Getty)

Australia Post is warning customers to be wary of an SMS scam that asks the recipient to hand over their bank details in order to retrieve a ‘detained package’.

Some Aussies have received texts from what appears to be from Australia Post that advise customers of a “package detained in terminal”.

In order to release the ‘detained package’, the alert asks for payment – but the links aren’t real.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Please do not click any links or make any payments,” Australia Post said.

The message looks deceptively real, and sports the red logo of Australia Post, prompting confused Australians to ask Australia Post about the scam over social media.

“This SMS has not come from Australia Post and is a phishing scam,” Australia Post said in response to Lisa Fiorentino.

“Please do not click any links or make any payments. Australia Post will never contact you via SMS asking for your personal information, financial information, or to make a payment.”

Cyber criminals are also using sophisticated technology to make the text appear on devices as though it was sent from Australia Post.

In fact, the scam texts appear in the same conversation thread as messages sent from the real Australia Post.

In response to Ninah Kopel, Australia Post admitted that it had become “increasingly difficult” to prevent such scams.

I got a similar text from Australia Post. Is it real?

There are a few ways to know whether a message you’ve received from the postal services network is real or a dud:

  • Australia Post will never send an email or text asking you to click on a link to print out a receipt or label for parcel collection or parcel tracking in order to access your package;

  • Australia Post will never ask you to send an email with your personal or financial information, such as your ID, passwords, credit card details, or account details.

Scams should be reported to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au/report-a-scam.

Australia Post indicated they were aware of the scams.

“Our team are already working with the relevant authorities to have it removed, however these things often take time,” an Australia Post representative said.

Australia Post a common target for scammers

Australia Post has been no stranger to attempts by cyber criminals to pass off as the postal services network.

In a separate scam, Aussies have been hit by text messages that advise the recipient a parcel will be delivered to them, and includes a link to view parcel details.

(Source: Australia Post)
(Source: Australia Post)

“The links lead to various scam websites and should not be trusted,” Australia Post said on their website.

“The scammers will direct you to a ‘reward’ which asks for your banking information. Please do not provide your banking information – this is how scammers can take money from your accounts.”

Make your money work with Yahoo Finance’s daily newsletter. Sign up here and stay on top of the latest money, news and tech news.