HAVE you received a text message telling you about a Medicare rebate you’re owed? Chances are, it’s fake.
The Department of Human Services and police are warning people about a new con where scammers pretend to be from Medicare in order to glean personal information.
Scammers have produced a new text-based, phishing scam that tricks people into visiting a clone of the Medicare website. Here, victims are conned into giving up their personal details in order to “claim a rebate”.
According to Queensland Police, SMS continues to be a popular method for criminals hoping to trick you into handing over your money or personal information.
These fake messages are being sent out in large numbers and are trying to steal your sensitive personal details and use them for malicious purposes
How to stay safe
There are some simple steps you can take to avoid an email scam:
- Do not click on links in emails or text messages claiming to be from myGov or Medicare. myGov will never send you a text, email or attachment with hyperlinks or web addresses.
- Don’t open messages if you don’t know the sender, or if you’re not expecting them.
- Be suspicious of messages that aren’t addressed directly to you, or don’t use your correct name.
- Login to your official myGov account by typing the web address my.gov.au into your browser to check your inbox for any legitimate emails from Medicare. Check that https:// appears at the beginning of the address bar when you land on the site.
- You can also contact Medicare separately to check if they have sent the message.
If you are concerned that your personal information has been compromised and misused, you can contact Australia’s National Identity and Cyber Support Service, IDCare or use their free Cyber First Aid Kit.
If you have been a victim of a cybercrime such as fraud, report it to the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN).