By PAUL O’DONOGHUE, Senior Correspondent
AUSTRAC, Australia’s financial crime agency, has warned of scams in which criminals impersonate the agency and its staff to steal money and sensitive information.
The agency said scammers use emails, phone calls and messages that appear legitimate. They then pressure victims to make urgent payments or disclose personal details.
“AUSTRAC does not contact members of the public unexpectedly demanding payment,” AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said.
AUSTRAC said regulated businesses may receive valid invoices for levies and infringement notices. However, it will never ask people to pay via virtual or crypto assets, or through social media apps such as WhatsApp or Telegram.
“Impersonation scams are getting more and more convincing and they are designed to exploit trust in government agencies,” AUSTRAC said.
AUSTRAC warning on scams
Mr Thomas said: “Our public profile has grown and with it an uptick in scammers using our name and impersonating our staff to try and trick people into handing over money or sensitive information.
“Scammers don’t just steal your money; they steal your trust. They rely on fear and urgency to override your instincts so taking a moment to pause and verify contact can prevent significant financial loss.”
If the agency needs someone to make a payment, AUSTRAC said it will notify them in writing. The recipient will have time to contact the agency with any questions or concerns.
AUSTRAC also highlighted two recent impersonation scams.
In one case, a scammer contacted a consumer after a complaint about lost funds. The criminal claimed to have access to an AUSTRAC investigator and used the name and profile of a real staff member.
“The scammer then asked the victim to move the conversation to WhatsApp and promised to help recover their funds quickly,” AUSTRAC said. AUSTRAC said it does not recover lost investment funds for consumers or ask people to use messaging apps to resolve such matters.
In another case, a scammer impersonated an AUSTRAC staff member and offered to connect a member of the public with the agency’s General Counsel. The criminal used publicly available information to make the message appear credible.
“At first glance, it looks helpful. Even credible. But it’s not,” AUSTRAC said.
AUSTRAC urged anyone who receives suspicious contact to stop, avoid clicking links and contact the agency through its official channels.
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