Seven numbers show you’re being scammed

If you get a phone call from an unknown number starting with these seven digits – whatever you do, don’t answer it.

If you get a phone call from an unknown number starting with “0480 036” – don’t answer it.

As cyber-criminals and scammers bombard Aussies during Covid-19 lockdown, spam callers have turned to an infuriating new tactic to harass people on their mobile phones.

In recent months, hundreds of users on reverse phone number lookup websites have reported spam calls coming from a series of phone numbers sharing the same seven digit prefixes.

Block the number, and pretty soon another call comes through from a number with the same first seven digits – with the last three numbers changed.

“Multiple calls a day with the same prefix 0480 036. Just different last three numbers. Never leave a message. Borderline harassment calls. Sometimes six a day,” one person reported on scam watch website Telguarder.

Another person wrote, “I’ve also been getting multiple unrelenting calls from number beginning with 0480 036 XXX with different last digit variations. When I pick up they hang up.”

They added, “Before this, I was getting calls from different numbers with the same fake prerecorded message about being wanted by the government for a crime, clearly a scare tactic. The number variations around this one were 0401 747 XXX, 0439 048 XXX, 0431 575 XXX to name a few.”

Users on the Reverse Australia website shared similar stories.

“I receive at least two calls from the prefix 0480 012 per day,” one person wrote.

“When I block the number they just auto-dial from another number. I imagine they have a system that cycles through numbers that have been blocked. Pain in the f***ing arse.”

It comes as more than $50 million has already been swindled from Australians through phone-based scams and a recent spike in phishing schemes this year.

And the scammers are picking up pace – the number of phishing scams reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s ScamWatch doubled in August.

ScamWatch had received about 5000 complaints of phishing each month of 2021 but this number soared last month with 11,000 complaints recorded.

In 2021, NSW recorded the most complaints with 14,425 closely followed by Victoria with 12,475.

However, there is a major concern that the number of phone scams in the community is much higher.

An Australian Communications and Media Authority spokesman told news.com.au there has been a huge amount of money lost to these scams already.

“Scamwatch reports Australians have lost $52,556,982 from phone scams so far in 2021,” he said.

“The actual number is likely to be much higher as we know scams are under-reported. Phone scams make up half of all scams reported to ScamWatch.”

One example of a phishing scam.

Millions of scam calls have been blocked.

Last year, new rules were introduced to make telcos identify, trace and block scam calls. In the first seven months, they have blocked 214 million scam calls.

Scammers are increasingly using spoofing techniques that change their original numbers to make the target more likely to pick up the phone.

Rather than use overseas numbers, they are now disguise them as legitimate numbers that show the phone call is coming from a legitimate body like Telstra or the Australian Taxation Office.

In some cases, scammers will call from a phone number that has one digit different to the victim’s, in the hope it will create trust and the person will answer the call.

ScamWatch has recently had reports of scammers posing as the Australian Federal Police as part of phishing schemes.

“Some scammers are falsely identifying themselves as a Federal Agent and telling victims they have identified suspicious activity linked to their bank accounts,” ScamWatch said in a statement.

“They then request personal details, including a Medicare number, address, and bank details. The fake representatives ask their victim to deposit money into an AFP account.”

ScamWatch added, “Scammers are also targeting people using email and social media with fake arrest warrants. The offenders then call their victims and demand payments ordering them to deposit money into a nominated bank account, transfer crypto currency, or purchase online vouchers.”

Originally published as Seven numbers show you’re being scammed