New Text Message Scam Claiming to Be from myGov

sharkyoz on 01/03/2023 - 10:51
Last edited 01/03/2023 - 11:22 by 1 other user

Just received a text claiming to be mygov.
Heading was mygov.
Body read…We have recalculated your tax and you are owed $1106.54 due to overpayments. Login here myclaims-au.com and upload your driving license to process your refund.

Easy to see a few gonna fall prey to this so thought I'd advise folks.

Scamwatch reports of myGov scams were up 160% in Jan from the previous month! Watch out for emails and messages that appear to be from myGov saying you're eligible for a refund or rebate. Never access myGov by clicking a hyperlink.

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General Discussion

Comments

  • MS Paint on 01/03/2023 - 10:56
    +2

    @scotty

    Please change URL to..

    OzScamAlert.com.au

    Cheers.

    • Cheaplikethebird on 01/03/2023 - 11:06
      +3

      If you fall for it your bank account's probably already been emptied by the previous text scam.

    • iDroid on 01/03/2023 - 11:10
      +12

      There are old people and other groups who are very vulnerable to this type of scam.

      Typically no amount of education or warning helps.

      • MS Paint on 01/03/2023 - 11:12
        +1

        The old people I know would have no idea how to upload an image.

        • iDroid on 01/03/2023 - 11:13
          +1

          Don't stress, there will likely be a phone number they can call and some kind fellow will help them with the steps, they may even offer to remote into their PC and do it for them. They're great guys.

          • CodeXD on 01/03/2023 - 11:22

            @iDroid: And payment is easy via Apple gift cards!

        • DashCam AKA Rolts on 01/03/2023 - 12:46
          +7

          The old people I know would have no idea how to upload an image.

          Yes we can: https://files.ozbargain.com.au/upload/313113/102000/pic.png

        • brendanm on 01/03/2023 - 15:50
          +1

          Could they download a car?

      • ThithLord on 01/03/2023 - 11:55
        -1

        Let 'em burn!

        That commenter, probably

  • Jimothy Wongingtons on 01/03/2023 - 11:01
    +7

    Instructions unclear, bought $500 Apple Card’s to pay upfront deposit to secure my refund :’)

    • BewareOfThe Dog on 01/03/2023 - 11:19
      +2

      I hope you only paid $475 for the Cards @Jimothy Wongingtons as per true OzB protocol. ;-)

      • Jimothy Wongingtons on 01/03/2023 - 12:32
        +1

        Nah didn’t wanna get scammed on Ozbargain classifieds :’)

        • DashCam AKA Rolts on 01/03/2023 - 12:48
          +2

          My new Nigerian Facebook friend is helping me.

  • JimB on 01/03/2023 - 11:02

    I knew it was a scam when they spelled it 'license'.

    The legit MyGov SMS would have read 'We have recalculated your tax and you are owed $1106.54 due to overpayments. Login here myclaims-au.com and upload your driving licenCe to process your refund.'

    • coffeeinmyveins on 01/03/2023 - 11:46

      So you've fallen for these scams right, because some of them are spelt correctly?

      Did you totally miss that the URL is a non gov URL or were you too focused on being nit picky about spelling?

  • Ocker on 01/03/2023 - 11:06

    This scam has been around for weeks

    • iDroid on 01/03/2023 - 11:10
      +1

      Yeah, it's so last week.

    • mboy on 01/03/2023 - 14:31

      Longer. Pretty sure I copped the same (or a very similar) one late last year.

  • BewareOfThe Dog on 01/03/2023 - 11:22
    +5

    I just received a message for an unpaid Toll Bill. I haven't been thru Sydney for 18 months?

    • Sensiekatie on 02/03/2023 - 13:14

      Been getting these sporadically for.a while. Our tolls company has an alert about this scam on their website.

  • Hybroid on 01/03/2023 - 11:24
    +4

    Please ensure you report these suspicious/malicious/phishing links here: https://safebrowsing.google.com/safebrowsing/report_phish/?h…

    After several reports, they get tagged with a warning when people attempt to access the site.

  • lostgoat on 01/03/2023 - 11:25

    I'm surprised no one has put another data breach up that surely has effect many here : Web23 Feb 2023 · The Good Guys has directly contacted 325,000 Concierge members who had set up a My Rewards account, and a further 1.5 million Concierge members

  • onetwothreefour on 01/03/2023 - 11:55
    +1

    Sorry can't respond to this now as my Amazon account has been suspended so on hold to them now.

    • DashCam AKA Rolts on 01/03/2023 - 12:52
      +1

      Still trying to sort my Linkt problems. I'm puzzled as SA doesn't seem to have any toll roads.

  • altomic on 01/03/2023 - 12:02
    +6

    Hello,

    I am from the Australean G0vernment and the above text message is true.

    thank you

    Anthony Albanese (Prime Minitister)

  • KaTst3R on 01/03/2023 - 12:08
    +2

    If the scam is running, that mean there is a market for these. Im sure a lot of less tech savvy people may fall prey to them.

  • USER DC on 01/03/2023 - 12:33

    There's another reason to use brave, warned me when trying to open site

    https://i.imgur.com/pxxp8eP.png

  • Mechz on 01/03/2023 - 12:47
    +1

    Google Messaging app does well to block these messages for my phone. Probably wise to get a similar app for the old people in your life.

  • Brick Tamland on 01/03/2023 - 12:51

    I dont know how people fall for these scams. ATO is never gonna randomly send an email saying any of these things.

    • Chandler on 01/03/2023 - 14:30
      +4

      None of the emails I have ever gotten from my.gov.au include hyperlinks. The most I've ever gotten was a phone number for the help desk. It's always "You have a new message in your myGov Inbox". No link, no prompt/action, just "you've got mail!".

  • netjock on 01/03/2023 - 14:19
    +1

    Number of scam SMS, emails etc are crazy now.

    • Brick Tamland on 01/03/2023 - 14:34

      Yep, you need to assume its a scam unless proven otherwise now.

    • Ghost47 on 01/03/2023 - 19:17

      This timeline sucks overall.

  • jellykingdom on 01/03/2023 - 15:31
    +1

    It was offputting timing, since i actually just got a real mygov message the day before which i haven't read yet. I nearly clicked on the bloody thing (the fake one i mean)

  • PensionerXXL on 01/03/2023 - 16:28

    tank you please sen us de moneys for da big tax oke? it show on bill in oen montha

  • DoctorCalculon on 01/03/2023 - 22:05
    +1

    You should mess with them, and upload this photo: https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61DpzbmqsWL.jpg

  • Sinnerator on 02/03/2023 - 08:08
    +1

    BS, ATO would never contact ANYONE about owing them money.
    You need to lawyer up and wrench it from their cold dead hands.

  • afah0447 on 02/03/2023 - 08:41
    +2

    The URL is a dead giveaway.

    However it's a numbers game for these lowlifes and they only need one or two people to fall for it out of 200k messages.

  • saltypete on 02/03/2023 - 10:45

    Thanks OP. If it saves a single person from these leaches it’s worth the effort. 👍

  • Lastchancetosee on 02/03/2023 - 14:15
    +1

    I keep getting Amazon Prime renewal scam phone calls. Ridiculous as I don't even have an account.

    The other one is a text from the 'Post Office' for a collection fee. Quite well done, with the logo, etc.

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