A Bega Valley resident is warning internet users to avoid potential scams after receiving a hoax email from Telstra stating his service would be “suspended” if sensitive personal details were not provided.
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The man who wished not to be named said the language of the phishing email caused doubt about its authenticity.
“Telstra would never say they would suspend your account,” he said.
The email requested the recipient update their billing details by clicking on a link provided.
The term phishing was invented by computer hackers in the mid-1990s while attempting to gain access to America Online accounts.
These phishing scams can also occur over social media and mobile phone text message.
Telstra does warn its customers of the dangers surrounding phishing or hoax emails.
”Phishing is an attempt to scam or deceive you into disclosing personal and financial information in an email or online,” the company’s website says.
“A hoax email may look like it was sent from a reputable organisation, and may ask you to disclose personal information via return email or by clicking a link.
“These emails often look genuine, copying a company's branding and email layout, and using an address that's very similar to the real company's URL.”
The email warning comes just days after another Bega Valley resident claims a scammer called her landline posing as a Telstra technician.
After answering the call she was told her internet would be cut off for 28 days due to her line being hacked, causing issues with her computer.
The reader then called Telstra, who confirmed to her there was no issue with her internet.
The victim then received the same call again later on the same day, with the scammer this time requesting remote access to her computer.