Yahoo Finance Aussies told to watch out for ‘myGov $198.92 refund’
Scamwatch has reported a 160 per cent increase in myGov scams in January.
Aussies who receive an email or text from myGov have been warned to think twice before clicking on any links they may contain.
Scamwatch said reports of myGov scams saw a whopping 160 per cent increase in January, compared to December 2022.
“Watch out for emails and messages that appear to be from myGov saying you're eligible for a refund or rebate. Never access myGov by clicking a hyperlink,” Scamwatch said in a statement on Twitter.
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Scamwatch reports of myGov scams were up 160% in Jan from the previous month! Watch out for emails and messages that appear to be from myGov saying you're eligible for a refund or rebate. Never access myGov by clicking a hyperlink. pic.twitter.com/OJlc07u89N
— Scamwatch_gov_au (@Scamwatch_gov) February 28, 2023
Scamwatch provided two examples of recent myGov scams making the rounds. One was a text message claiming the potential victim had a refund which was unable to be deposited and encouraged them to click a hyperlink.
“MyGov: We attempted to deposit your refund but we had issue [sic] with your banking information. Pls [sic] confirm your details,” the scam text read.
A red flag to note in the text message is the poor spelling and grammar, which can often be an indication of a scam.
The other example was an email carrying the myGov logo in the header and claiming the potential victim was eligible for $198.92.
“After the last annual calculation we noticed that you are eligible to receive a sum of $198.82 AUD,” the email reads.
“To submit the application electronically please fill out the form. Once completed you will be aked to confirm that the information in the document is correct.”
The email then goes on to encourage the potential victim to click a hyperlink to fill out a form, but would likely just harvest the victim’s personal information.
The email is simply addressed “dear customer”, which can also be a warning sign of a scam. The email also comes from an email address that is not associated with myGov.
If you believe you may have been the victim of a scam, contact Scamwatch to report the situation. Scamwatch reminded Aussies to never access myGov by clicking a hyperlink in an email or text.
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