December 1, 2014
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is warning internet users to watch out for scammers trying to cash-in on the Christmas mail rush by posing as postal services.
“Australians send and receive millions of parcels at Christmas time. If you are expecting delivery of a gift for family or friends, or might receive a present, it’s important to beware of these scams arriving in your inbox,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
“These scams are common in the festive season and are sadly on the rise. This year, over $100,000 has been lost to parcel delivery scams with more than 400 complaints to the ACCC.”
These scamming emails appear to be from a legitimate parcel delivery service such as Australia Post or FedEx and may be personalised with your name and address. Consumers are told they missed a parcel delivery at home and information for retrieving the package is attached to the email.
However, the attachment is actually a rogue computer program which will install ransomware on your computer.
Ransomware is a type of malware that restricts access to the computer system that it infects, and demands a ransom be paid for the restriction to be removed.
The ACCC warns that even if you pay the ransom, there is no guarantee the computer will be unlocked and users are likely to face expensive repairs to your computer and the loss of data.
Another variation of the scam is that users will be offered re-delivery at a convenient time if they pay a fee of $10 to $30 via wire transfer or credit card.
“If you transfer money, you’ll never see it again. If you give your personal financial details, your accounts have been compromised,” Ms Rickard said.
“If you are suspicious about a ‘missed’ parcel delivery, call the company directly to verify that the correspondence is genuine and do not click on the links or attachments. Independently source the contact details through an internet search or phone book – do not rely on numbers provided.
“Keep in mind that you, or the purchaser, are likely to have already paid any costs associated with delivery and there should not be further charges. If you think you have provided your banking or credit card details to a scammer contact your bank or financial institution immediately.”
