Scam calls and spam phone numbers

Estimated reading time
 5 min

Key points

• A scam call is a phone call where someone maliciously pretends to be someone else to trick you into sharing personal information or transferring money.
  
  
• There are some red flags that can suggest it’s a scam, such as receiving an unexpected call from an unknown or overseas number.
  
  
• We help you identify scam calls that impersonate common industries, such as government agencies or your bank, and offer tips to help you avoid them.

Did you know, according to Scamwatch, one in three reported scams occur over the phone?¹

Scam calls often originate from people pretending to be from well-known organisations or individuals you might trust. They differ from ‘spam calls’ or messages, which are generally unwanted marketing from legitimate companies and may be bothersome. A scam caller might offer you a better phone plan or share an exciting investment opportunity.  

To access these offers, however, you might be asked to share your personal or banking information. If you provide these details, there’s a risk that the scammer can use them for illegal activities, such as unauthorised access to your bank accounts.

Since we use our phones every day, being able to recognise and manage scam calls can be very helpful. We’ll provide some insights on how to help handle these calls.
 

What are scam calls?

A scam call is when someone calls pretending to be from a legitimate company, or to be someone you know and trust. The caller might impersonate a representative from a government department or an agency, a telecommunications company, a bank, or even an investment or law firm.

A spam call, on the other hand, is when you receive unwanted marketing offers from legitimate businesses, often trying to upsell you on a product or service. While these calls can be quite bothersome, they’re not technically scam calls and it can sometimes be hard to distinguish between the two.

Once you’re on the phone with a scam caller, they might pressure you into transferring money, sharing personal information or they might try to trick you into ‘correcting’ your details by providing intentionally incorrect information.

Scammers may also use ‘robocalling’ technology to call thousands of people with pre-recorded messages. Have you ever received a voicemail notification and heard a pre-recorded voice claiming to be from a government agency? This might be a robocall. Scammers use this technology to reach a larger audience and increase their chances of deceiving more people.

Why might you receive a scam call or SMS?

Wondering why your caller ID is suddenly showing numerous unknown numbers? Getting frequent SMS messages asking you to click a link? It’s possible that your number has been shared with scam companies or accessed through a data leak.

In 2023, there were several significant data breaches involving some of the largest companies in the country, exposing millions of Australians’ details – from driver’s licence information to phone numbers – to the public domain. However, your information might have also come from a website or a business you have interacted with in the past that shared this sensitive data with other companies – unfortunately, it can be tricky to find the exact source.

There are ways to check if your personal information like your phone number, email address or passwords may have been leaked online. For example, you might use a site like https://haveibeenpwned.com. If you save your passwords in your browser, you may be alerted if any of your logins have been compromised, allowing you to change them immediately through the settings feature.

When it comes to our phones, we’re often reluctant to change our number and tend to keep the same one for years. Once your phone number is out there, it can easily be passed from one scammer to the next. 

How can you spot a scam call?

• The phone number might not appear on caller ID, or it could be an overseas number. The caller might ask for personal or financial information, such as your passwords or banking details. They might also ask you to make a payment or to transfer money between accounts.
  
  
• You might receive a call from someone claiming to be from your internet provider or a tech support company who suggests that your device has been hacked. They might ask for remote access to your device to help address the issue. The caller might also prompt you to install specific software. Instead of helping you, they may install malware that allows them to access your device, which might lead to unauthorised transactions through online banking or they might steal personal information.
  
  
• The scammer might threaten you with serious consequences, such as arrest or deportation, if you do not comply with their request.
  
  
• If the scammer impersonates an investment firm, they might offer you a quick and easy way to make a lot of money with minimal risk. 

5 common industries that scam callers impersonate

According to Scamwatch,¹ these are some of the most common industries scam callers might claim to represent:

1. Government agencies and departments

You might receive an unexpected call, message, or email from someone claiming to be from a government department, debt collection agency or a trusted company. They may claim that you owe money and threaten you with legal action or arrest. The caller might explain that resolving the issue requires paying a fee or fine.

2. Investment firms

You might receive a call from an investment firm with an offer for a low-risk, high-reward investment opportunity. They may ask for money immediately or request your personal details to ‘get started’. Instead, the scammer may use your information to try and hack into your accounts and steal from you. For example, if they obtain your banking details, along with your name, phone number, and date of birth, they might use this information to try and access your bank accounts.

3. Law firms

If the scammer pretends to be from a law firm, they might claim that you’ve received an unexpected inheritance from a distant relative you’ve never heard of. The scammer may then ask for your banking details to transfer the funds to you, but instead, they could use this information to take your hard-earned money.

4. Telecommunications providers

The scammer might claim to be from a telecommunications provider offering a better deal for your phone and internet services. They may ask for a payment and some personal details to set it up. Once the scammer has your information, they could disappear, never contact you again, and potentially misuse your personal data.

5. Banks

You might receive a call from someone claiming to be from your ‘bank’ saying you’ve been locked out of your account. The caller may ask you to verify your personal information. The scammer could then use these details to access your online banking and transfer money from your account.

How can you help prevent scam and spam calls?

Want to receive fewer scam calls? You might want to consider these tips:

• Consider blocking and reporting any numbers that send you a scam message or seem suspicious. You can do this by turning on your phone’s caller ID and spam protection setting in your phone apps settings – this feature may differ depending on the phone you have, but will report the number to your telecommunications provider.
  
  
• Turn on your phone’s spam filter through your phone app or system settings depending on the type of phone you have. Alternatively, use your phone’s search bar and type in ‘spam’ or ‘caller ID’ to get where you need to go straight away.
  
  
• Consider downloading a verified screening app. Some of these apps are available for free, while others may require a subscription.
  
  
• Consider screening calls from unknown numbers. Let them go to voicemail – if the caller is a scammer, they might not leave a voicemail. Or, if they do, it could be a pre-recorded message intended to pressure you into complying with their request.
  
  
• Avoid sharing your personal information with anyone and refrain from making your contact details publicly available on social media profiles.
  
  
• If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from an organisation such as a bank, consider hanging up and contacting your bank through the official channels (such as the customer service number often found on the back of your card). It’s generally a smart idea not to click any links they send or share your banking details or PIN.
  
  
• To reduce spam calls, think about adding your number to the Do Not Call Register. This service is free and your number will stay on the list until you decide to remove it. Once your number is registered, telemarketing companies have 30 days to remove it from their call lists. If they continue to call you after that period, they run the risk of receiving a penalty. It’s important to note that this measure is generally effective against spam calls from legitimate companies, but it might not prevent calls from scammers.

What can you do if you think you’ve been scammed?

A phone scam can potentially affect anyone. If you believe you might have been targeted, here are some steps that could help minimise the impact:

• If you’ve received a call from a scammer, stop all communication with them. Blocking their number immediately on your phone may prevent further contact. If you don’t know how to block a number, then look at your phone’s manufacturing website for more information or look it up online. Once you’ve blocked them, then immediately report the scam.
  
  
• If you’ve shared financial information or transferred money, contact your bank immediately. If you’re an ANZ customer, contact us immediately to report the fraud.
  
  
• If you shared credit card details, ‘block’ or cancel those cards immediately. If your cards are with ANZ, you can report the stolen card through the ANZ app or by calling us. 

How to report scam calls

• Contact the Australian Cyber Security hotline, 24 hours a day, seven days a week on 1300 CYBER1 (or 1300 292 371).
  
  
• Help others by reporting to Scamwatch or to the Australian Signals Directorate’s Australian Cyber Security Centre’s ReportCyber.
  
  
• For phishing or identity theft associated with government accounts such as Centrelink, Medicare, or Child Support, contact the Services Australia scams and identity helpdesk on 1800 941 126 or visit their website.
  
  
• You can also contact IDCare, a not-for-profit organisation providing support to those experiencing identity and cyber security concerns.
  
  
• Contact your bank immediately if you have shared personal or financial information.
  
  
• If you’re an ANZ customer, you can report fraud or suspicious activity in multiple ways, such as through the ANZ app or by calling us