Scam alert: Worrying Optus scam tricking customers with fake email

Australians are being warned of a worrying new Optus scam that is being sent to thousands of people via email.

Web security company MailGuard released a statement explaining a new phishing email scam is being sent to people across the country that isn’t actually from Optus.

MailGuard said there are several variations of the email scam, ranging from remittance advice to car insurance document scams.

They advise the recipient of a document that is available for them, with a link to access the said document. According to MailGuard, in most cases, the links lead unsuspecting recipients to a malicious file download.

People are getting caught out by the scams because the emails looks legitimate.

MailGuard has detected that #malicious #emails, all purporting to be from @Optus and using the domain ‘https://t.co/5bst3FmnAV’ are infiltrating inboxes. The format of these emails is similar, with most appearing in plain-text form. View more details here: https://t.co/nyjD1Fy28K pic.twitter.com/n1przEq3oO

— MailGuard (@MailGuard) February 13, 2019

Optus customers have been sent similar messages and scams in the past, with the company advising customers to beware of dodgy emails.

The emails that ask for personal details, known as phishing scams, usually ask people to provide things like their date of birth, password or banking information. In some cases, victims are asked to provide this information on a website that looks very similar to the official Telstra website.

It comes after ScamWatch warned Aussies to be on the lookout for a new text message scam after receiving a number of concerning reports of emergency assistance messages.

Read more: Aussies warned of distressing ’emergency’ text message scam

According the ACCC run website, there has been a spate of the text messages over recent days that have caused quite a bit concern throughout the community.

Aussies have been left a little shaken after receiving the text messages from an unknown number claiming they need help.

“For example, the text message might read. ‘please call me back right away. It is an emergency I need your help’,” ScamWatch explained in a statement.

The obviously distressing message has led to many people being verbally abused by a recording when they have rung back to see what the problem is. Although there have been no reports of money being lost, ScamWatch said it is still a cause for concern.

“While people have not yet reported losing money as a result of these calls, you may find the content of the recording distressing,” the company warned.

“ScamWatch therefore advises that you exercise caution or do not respond to these text messages.”

Have you ever fallen victim to a scam?