Scams and hoaxes

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS claiming to be from Vodafone stating that there is an issue with their account/direct debit.

The SMS asks that the customer click on a link and make a payment.

This SMS was not sent by Vodafone. Please do not click on any link or reply to the SMS.

If you receive this SMS, please follow the below directions:

• Complete our online form.
• Don't reply to the SMS.
• Don't click on any links/attachments.
• Report the email to Scamwatch.

Vodafone Australia is aware of a phishing scam targeting some of our customers posing as our retail stores or Customer Care.

The fraudsters are using a tactic known as spoofing to hide the number they are calling from and make it appear to be from one of our retail stores’ legitimate numbers or our Customer Care number which may show as 'Vodafone Care' when a call is received. The callers will make various threats in return for immediate credit card payments, large sum bank transfers or personal information. Several variations of this scam have been identified, they often start out as a recorded message asking you to select a number from the menu, and include:

• Targeting Chinese communities and threatening deportation or Visa cancellation
• Threatening to disconnect your phone or internet service if you do not make immediate payment
• Threatening to disconnect a family member’s phone service
• Claiming you are a fraud victim and offering reimbursements in return for your credit card details or phishing for personal information

If you receive a call from someone purporting to be Vodafone or another trusted company asking for your credit card or personal information, do not send any money or provide any personal or payment details. Never call back a number provided in an SMS or voicemail, only ever contact companies on a number listed on their public website.

Vodafone will never contact you asking for credit card details and our retail stores will never contact you asking for personal information.

If you have been a victim of a scam and have provided any financial information, contact your financial institution as soon as possible.

For further information, including information in Chinese languages, please visit the Scamwatch.

Some of our customers have reported receiving WhatsApp or text messages from scammers alleging to be children in need of funds. The scammers are targeting parents and the messages generally start by claiming the child has lost or broken their phone, or it has been stolen so they insist the parent does not contact them on their old number. The messages will then develop into the scammer requesting money for things like bills or emergency funds as they have been locked out of their internet banking accounts. 

If you receive an SMS or WhatsApp message from an unknown number asking for money or claiming to be a loved one, do not transfer any funds. If you are ever unsure of the legitimacy of a message, it’s always best to pick up the phone and contact the sender to be sure. 

If you receive any SMS relating to this scam, please report it to Scamwatch.

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS that claims to be from Vodafone stating that their payment has been revoked and their line will be disconnected in 24 hours until payment is made.

The SMS asks that the customer click on a link to make a payment. This SMS was not sent by Vodafone. Please do not click on any link or reply to the SMS.

If you receive this SMS, please follow the below directions:

• Complete our online form
• Don't reply to the SMS
• Don't click on any links/attachments
• Report the email to Scamwatch

You may have recently received an SMS or MMS message, claiming that you have had a missed call or voicemail. These messages are generated by Malware called Flubot, which spreads via SMS/MMS messages and can infect customers with Android devices on any mobile network. We have also seen variants of the Flubot message, purporting to be from a courier service asking the end user to install a tracking app through a link which will infect the device with malware. If a user clicks the link and installs the app, the malware will take over the device and send texts to the infected user’s contacts. An easy way to identify these messages is the badly spelled wording, such as:

my86 Your service provider zas sent you a nee notice: <LINK>  

wfq5cm Voicemail: You have 1 new Voicemaill (s). Go to: <LINK>

If you receive an SMS/MMS like this, do not click on the link and complete our online form. Delete the message as soon as possible. It is important to point out that just because you have received the message, this does not mean your device has become infected.

If you click on the link, you will be taken to a web page that may look like a genuine site with branding that you are familiar with. You may be prompted to install an app, so you can listen to the voicemail message. If you give permission to install the app, the Flubot malware will be installed onto your device. The malware may be able to access your contacts list and access your personal information if you use your device while infected. You may also receive texts or calls from random numbers stating that you have sent them an SMS, which you will have no knowledge of.

You may also receive an SMS/MMS claiming that someone has uploaded pictures of you on a website and to click on a link to see them. If you were to click on this link you would see a pop up warning you that your device is infected with Flubot and that you will have to install a security update to cure their device. If you were to click on this pop up and install the software, you would infect your device with the Flubot malware. If you do receive an SMS like this, please do not click on the link and do not install any software. 

What should you do if you have become infected?

If you have become infected, don’t enter any passwords or log into any accounts until you have cleaned your device using the below steps.

How to clean your device

Cleaning your device using the steps below will remove the malicious software from your device.

To clean your device, you can:

• contact an IT professional
• download official Android anti-virus software through the Google Play Store
• perform a factory reset of the device.

Performing a factory reset of your device will delete all of your data including photos, messages, and authentication applications.

At this time Apple devices are not affected, but we are aware that customers with Apple devices have been also receiving these Flubot messages.

For more information, head to the Scamwatch website.   

Recently, we have had customers reporting their number has been spoofed. But what is Number Spoofing?

Number spoofing is where scammers will make scam calls to people, but will use a spoofed number to appear as the calling number. Typically these spoofed numbers will be mobile numbers, as people are more likely to answer a call from a mobile number than a ‘No Caller ID’ number. Historically, spam calls used to come from Private or Blocked numbers, so a call from a mobile number does look more legitimate. This is unfortunately very common and with phone applications that can easily do this and it’s very difficult to shut down.

Also, we have seen examples of scammers using spoofed numbers that are very similar to yours, but may have one different digit. For example, your phone number may end in 524, but you get a call from a number that is almost identical to yours, but ends in 525. We have also seen examples where scammers may spoof your own number to call you.

Typically, what occurs on a scam call usually involves an automated message being played, which claims to be from law enforcement, the ATO (this is very popular at the end of the financial year), or other government organisations such as Services Australia. The message may state that you owe money and need to take action immediately. On some occasions, the call may be put through to a real person, who may use pressure tactics to get personal information from you. Either way, if the message is automated or with a real scammer, pressure will be applied to get you to pay or confirm personal information.

If you receive a call like this, hang up the phone and complete our online form.

If your number has been used for spoofing calls, you will likely start to receive calls and SMS from people who have received calls from your spoofed number. We would advise that you ask these people to contact their own service provider to run a trace and lodge a complaint.

There are things you can do on your phone to help protect yourself against spoof calls. If you have an Apple device, head to Apple Support for more info. If you're on an Android device, head to the Google Help Center.

To find out more about this scam, head to the Australian Communications and Media Authority's website.

You can also report the scam through the Scamwatch website. 

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS that claims to be from Vodafone stating that their account has been flagged for suspicious activity.

The SMS asks that the customer click on a link to secure their account.

This SMS was not sent by Vodafone. Please do not click on any link or reply to the SMS.

If you receive this SMS, please follow the below directions:

• Complete our online form
• Don't reply to the SMS
• Don't click on any links/attachments
• Report the email to Scamwatch

Unfortunately, during these difficult times it is business as usual for fraudsters and scammers who are using the spread of COVID-19 to take advantage of people across the country. These scams can include spam messages impersonating the Government or the ATO, and there has also been an emergence of scams related to people’s superannuation.

You can find lots of useful information regarding the latest COVID-19 scams on the Scamwatch page.

If you receive any emails or messages that you think are suspicious, please report them to Scamwatch.

You can also complete our online form.

Some of our customers have reported receiving a phone call claiming to be from Vodafone and offering discounted Vodafone services due to COVID-19, and requesting customer’s personal details.

Please be aware that this is a fake promotion. If you receive a call with this offer, do not confirm any personal details to the caller and hang up.

• Don’t give the caller any personal details and hang up
• Complete our online form
• Report the call to Scamwatch

Some of our customers have reported receiving a phone call claiming to be from Vodafone and offering an ‘iPad promotion’ that can only be redeemed over the phone. This is being claimed as an offer to our loyal customers as stores in your local area are closed due to COVID-19.

Please be aware that this is a fake promotion. If you receive a call with this offer, do not confirm any personal details to the caller and hang up.

If you receive a call like this, please complete our online form.

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS from a source claiming to be the ‘Australian Government Department of Health’ stating that ‘You’ve received a new message regarding the COVID-19 safetyline symptoms and when to get tested in your geographical area’.

This SMS contains a link to a fake government website.

This SMS was not sent by the Australian Government Department of Health. Please do not click on any link or reply to the SMS.

If you receive this SMS, please follow the below directions:

• Complete our online form
• Don't reply to the SMS
• Don't click on any links/attachments
• Report the email to Scamwatch

Some of our customers have reported receiving an email claiming to be from Vodafone with the subject line ‘We had to halt your confirmation’. This email offers a free reward and invites you to click on a link in the email that will take you to an external website.

This email is not from Vodafone. Please do not click on any link or reply to the email.

If you receive an email that meets this description, please report it to Scamwatch.

You can also complete our online form

Wangiri fraud is when you receive missed calls from international numbers you don’t recognise on either a mobile or a fixed-line phone. The fraudsters generating the missed calls hope that their expensive international numbers will be called back so that they can profit.

If you receive calls like this, be assured that you haven’t been specifically targeted. It’s likely that the fraudster has generated a missed call to a whole range of mobile numbers that happens to include yours.

What should you do if you get a suspected Wangiri call?

We recommend that you don’t return calls to international numbers that you don’t recognise. Calls to Wangiri numbers will often result in a charge being incurred and only encourages the fraudster to generate more missed calls to customers who choose to call back.

If you think you’ve had a missed call from an international number that may be involved in this scam, let us know. Complete our online form and provide us with your mobile number and the international number you received the nuisance call from plus the date & time of that call.

What’s being done to address this issue?

We proactively monitor our network for Wangiri activity and shut down new fraudulent international numbers and number ranges as we find them.

This is an issue affecting customers of mobile and fixed line operators around the globe, and we’re working with a number of different operators and industry groups to reduce Wangiri fraud levels.

The missed call scam

Mobile phone users across the globe are being targeted by overseas callers who make huge sums of money when the receiver calls back on the unknown number from which they missed a call. This is known as ‘Wangiri Fraud’. This type of fraud is not specific to Vodafone and appears to be on the rise.

Fraudsters call from international destinations. They will call a user and disconnect the call promptly before it is answered. They then wait for the person to call back. These numbers are charged at premium rates and, if the caller calls this number, they are hit with significant charges.

What happens if you do answer the call or call the number back?

They will engage you in a conversation and try to trick you into revealing details that can be used to defraud you.

What should I do?

• Do not answer a call from an overseas number unless you recognise the number or are expecting the call.
• Do not return a call to an overseas number unless you recognise it.
• Do not give out any personal or business information such as banking or credit card details, pin numbers, birth dates or personal names and addresses.
• Complete our online form

We are aware of a pop-up scam, purporting to be from Vodafone, asking users to provide personal information by filling out a form to win a smartphone. This is a fake promotion and is not associated with Vodafone. Vodafone will never ask you to fill out forms with personal details to win a prize.

If you see this pop-up while browsing, please do the following:

• Close the browser
• Complete our online form
• Don’t click on any links or fill in any details
• Report the email to Scamwatch

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS claiming to be from Vodafone, asking them to verify personal information. The message states you have ‘been selected as one of our lucky winners for a brand new iPhone’ and requests for you to reply to number (+61432868828) with your full birth date.

This message is not sent by Vodafone. Please do not reply to the message.

If you receive this message (or any other spam SMS), please follow the below directions:

• Complete our online form
• Don't reply to the SMS
• Don't provide any personal details
• Don't click on any links
• Don't call any numbers associated with the SMS
• Don't share any content of the SMS with anyone
• Report the SMS to Scamwatch

Vodafone Australia are aware of a scam targeting customers for credit card information via text message.

The text message advises that there was a recent issue with a payment for your Vodafone service and to prevent termination of your service, to follow a link to make payment. The link included is https//vodafone.au ngrok.io/id/MDQyMT14mjy3Mw

This link uses a service which exposes webservers and enables fraudsters to gain access to the information entered such as credit card numbers.

If you receive a text message from Vodafone requesting you to make payment, please ensure you do not follow any links to websites or call any numbers that are unfamiliar to you. If you receive a text and suspect it may be a scam, please contact our Customer Care team on 1555 or 1300 650 410.

Vodafone Australia are aware of an increase in falsified letters and statements from telecommunication companies. The falsified letters use the companies branding to appear legitimate and will be either sent via post or email.

The letters could be either a threatening invoice, request to update details or congratulate you on winning a prize. It will ask you to call a number or visit a website to update details, pay a sum of money or claim your prize.

If you receive any mail from Vodafone, whether it be paper or electronic, please ensure you do not follow any links to websites or call any numbers that are unfamiliar to you. If you receive a letter and suspect it may be a scam, please contact our Customer Care team on 1555 or 1300 650 410.

Vodafone Australia is aware of a scam targeting our customers in Chinese communities. The calls are in Mandarin and the scammers are often posing as Chinese authorities.

The scammer will accuse the customer of either being directly involved in a crime relating to fake passports, or a victim who has had their bank details compromised. They will threaten the customer with jail time or deportation and will request the customer pay them in large sums of money to clear their name or have their issue investigated.

The scammers will try to intimidate the customer into either providing money or other personal details such as passport number. They do this using scare tactics in hope that the customer will not ask any questions and will instead provide requested details or pay them.

Once money has been paid to scammers, it is often unable to be recovered.

If you receive a call from someone threatening you with arrest or deportation in relation to fake passports, it is a scam. Do not send any money or provide any personal details. End the call immediately and report it to scamwatch.

For further information, including information in Chinese languages, please visit the Scamwatch website.

Vodafone Australia is aware of a current browser pop up scam that is targeting Vodafone customers.

The pop up asks you to click on a link to perform certain activities such as filling out a survey or choosing a gift box to win a "prize" (such as phones, electronic devices or accessories).

The link then directs you to a payment page where it requires you to pay small amount via credit card to redeem the "prize" or directs you to a page where you are required to enter your personal details or bank details.

Vodafone Australia will never ask you to fill out forms with personal details to win a prize. If you are browsing the web and receive this pop up, please close the browser. If you have been a victim of this scam, please visit the Scamwatch website or call us on 1555.

Have you received a phone call from Vodafone and been offered an upgrade recently? This is common when you are nearing the end of your current phone contract. However, it shouldn’t happen when you are not at the end of your phone contract.

If you are called by someone claiming to be from Vodafone and you are unsure of the authenticity of the call, do not disclose any personal or account details and end the call.

If you are called by a number which is not on that list, please complete our online form.

You may have received a letter claiming to be from Vodafone stating that you have been selected to win $200k as part of a yearly promotion. This letter has Vodafone branding and asks you to contact Vodafone through Viber.

If you receive this letter please do not respond to it and do not contact anyone through Viber. Complete our online form if you receive this letter.