Australia Post Issues Warning About SMS Prize Scams
The original site is no longer online; links go to the Internet Archive copy.
What the fact-checkers found
Australia Post is warning consumers about fraudulent text messages that claim that they have won a prize.
The messages, which look like they were sent by Australia Post, claim that you are one of five lucky winners and should click a link to get your prize.
However, Australia Post did not send the messages and you have not won any prizes. The messages are sent by online criminals intent on stealing your personal information.
Here’s a transcript of one of the scam messages:
[Name removed], the results are in and your address [address removed] has been drawn. You are 1 of 5 lucky winners: [Link removed]
The link opens a fraudulent website that has been designed to look like it belongs to Australia Post. Despite its appearance, the website has no connection to Australia Post. Once on the fake website, you will be asked to fill in a survey:
After completing the bogus survey, the following page will appear:
Clicking the “I’ll Choose This” button opens a fake “rewards” website that asks you to provide your personal information, ostensibly as a means of claiming your prize.
A scam alert on the Australia Post website notes:
After completing the questions they will direct you to a ‘reward’ which asks for your banking information. Please do not provide your banking information – it’s how scammers can take money from your accounts.
Due to the way mobile phones combine conversations these scams can appear in the same conversation view as legitimate Australia Post SMS messages.
If you receive one of these scam messages, do not follow any links it contains. Just delete it.
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