A number of fake websites have popped up online promoting an $890 ‘cost-of-living bonus payment” supposedly due to be paid by Centrelink this month. Services Australia is warning there is no such payment, and these sites are aiming to steal your myGovID credentials.
Authorities confirmed the fake websites are even taking out ads promoting the fake payments on other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. Clicking the ads will take you through to a fake website asking you to enter confidential information in order to claim the money.
“People are sharing these websites on social media, thinking the information is real,” Services Australia’s warning reads.
“If the website URL doesn’t end in .gov.au then it isn’t an official government website. It could be a scam. The only genuine Services Australia and myGov websites are servicesaustralia.gov.au and my.gov.au.”
The sites (and ads for the sites) generally feature ‘clickbait’ style images and headlines aimed at grabbing your attention.
After clicking on the fraudulent link, victims are taken to a fake site that features an online tool that allows people to ‘check their eligibility status’ after entering their personal details. From there, the scammers use your info to login to your myGov account and then lock you out.
Criminals can then change your bank account details in order to have payments rerouted to them.
Services Australia says it will never advertise payments on third-party sites like social media sites and would only notify payment recipients through its official websites and social channels.
SBS News is reporting the phrase ‘$890 bonus payment Centrelink’ was trending among Google searches late last week, and the results for which pointed to a number of different fake articles referencing a one-off payment that was supposed to be paid this month.
How to avoid this scam
Services Australia says simply taking a moment to stop and think about whether the ad or offer seems genuine is often all you need to pick up on a scam.
As mentioned, Services Australia doesn’t place ads on external social media sites, so if that’s where you’re seeing the cost-of-living payment mentioned, you’ll want to avoid.
If the approach has come through an email or text message, Services Australia says there are a number of things they would never do, including:
- ask you to open an attachment in a text message or email
- ask you to reply by text message or email with your personal information or myGov sign in details
- ask you to give us access to your phone, tablet or computer
- threaten to deactivate your myGov account or records with us
- threaten you with fines, warrants for arrest or jail
- send you a link in a text message or email
Scammers often use emotive language like this to push you into acting on the scam, driving a sense of urgency. But it’s precisely this rush that you need to ignore. Slow down. Take your time, and confirm the communication is genuine before making any further moves.
Have you seen any ads for a bonus Centrelink payment? Do you think you could spot this scam? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Major Centrelink change aimed at reducing call wait times
