New ways scammers are using phone, email to target Ipswich residents

Scammers are posing as companies to try and swindle money from unsuspecting locals

BE ALERT: Several scams are making their way around Ipswich.

THE American tax department, renowned phone companies and banks: con artists are posing as spokespeople from corporations and government sectors to scam unsuspecting locals.

Thieves angling for money have been targeting Ipswich residents via phone, email and text.

Teash Hoppner received a text message on Monday from someone claiming to be from the Optus billing team.

The message warned Teash her service was about to be suspended and urged her to click a link to update her billing information.

While Optus was Teash’s provider, she saw through the fraud right away.

“I pretty much knew it was a scam as there was no reason that our service would be suspended,” Teash said.

“Also, the message asked to update billing information … You don’t do that.”

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She reported the message to Optus, which responded, confirming the message had not been legitimate.

“I have reported scams to (Scamwatch) before,” Teash said.

“I’d like to think companies like Optus would keep places like Scamwatch up to date.”

Another local, Daimeon Milton, knew he was dealing with a scammer when he received a phone call from someone claiming to be from Amazon Prime.

“Received a call from (a phone number), claiming my Amazon Prime account was being renewed for $79.95 and to press one to unsubscribe,” Daimeon said.

“It’s obviously a scam to I recommend hanging up.”

Checking his Amazon Prime account details, he found nothing the scammer had said checked out.

“It was an automated voice requiring a key press response,” he said.

“I’m assuming by selecting unsubscribe, I would have been charged a flat call cost.”

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Other scams circulating Ipswich include an email claiming to be from MyGov and offering a refund; a call from someone posing to be from Telstra; and an email claiming to be from the American tax department, chasing 40 years of unpaid taxes from someone who had never been to the United States.

One local received multiple calls from someone claiming to be from the “security department of Visa and Mastercard” – an entity that does not exist.

A Queensland Police Service spokeswoman said the police department did not handle this type of scam report.

“We recommend people report scams through Scamwatch,” the spokeswoman said.

“We have advice for people but, unless it’s a person scamming another person, it’s not something we can (help with).”

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Read more news by Ebony Graveur.

Originally published as New ways scammers are using phone, email to target Ipswich residents