Fraud and scams

It’s important to protect yourself from fraud and scams. On this page, you’ll learn about the different types of threats, how to spot them and how to keep your information safe.

Types of threats

  • Scam phone calls
  • Investment scams
  • Phishing messages
  • Employment scams
  • Tax scams
  • Buying and selling scams
  • Natural disaster scams
  • Mobile phone porting

Account safety tips

  • Don’t share your passwords.
  • Don’t give anyone access to your accounts or login details.
  • Don’t share your bank details.
  • Treat unexpected emails, SMS and phone calls with caution.
  • When you discard a device, delete all your saved information.
  • If you feel a call might be fake, hang up and call an official number to check.
  • Regularly check your loan account statement.
  • Only use trusted devices and Wi-Fi networks.
  • Install up-to-date anti-virus software on your devices.

Protect your identity

  • Secure your letterbox with a lock to prevent your mail from being stolen.
  • Let us know straight away if your email, address or phone number changes.
  • Never give out personal information to people you don’t know or trust.
  • Don’t publish confidential information on social media, including your full name, date of birth, address and phone number. Scammers can use this information to steal your identity.
  • Shred documents containing personal information before throwing them away.

What to look for

To keep your accounts and information safe, remember: stop, check, protect.

Scammers will try to pressure you to act quickly. They may threaten you with expensive fines, arrest or court action. They’ll also try to steal your identity.

But you can stay safe if you know what to look for.

  • Calls, texts or messages you weren’t expecting. Scammers will randomly make contact, often pretending to be from an internet or phone provider, your bank, the government or the police.
  • You’re asked to download software. Scammers claim this will fix a problem or a fraud issue with your bank account. They might even ask you to pay for the software.
  • You’re asked for your StarNet account login. Never provide your login details to a third party, even if they say they’re from Advantedge.
  • Emails and messages don’t address you by your name or say who they’re from. Scammers often use generic greetings and signoffs. Sometimes, they might pretend to be someone you know.
  • A sense of urgency. Scammers might ask you to click on a link, scan a QR code or download an attachment to avoid a problem. For example, they may claim you’ll miss a parcel delivery, be fined or have your account blocked.
  • Contact details and web addresses are slightly different. These can be hard to spot, such as an email address or website with a ‘1’ instead of an ‘i’.
  • Suspicious and fake links. If a link doesn’t look right or you aren’t sure, visit the company’s official website to contact them.
  • Poor spelling and grammar. This is usually an obvious sign, but scammers are getting better at copying the look of legitimate emails, including language, logos and branding.

A legitimate business will never:

  • threaten to arrest or demand immediate payment
  • ask for gift cards, iTunes vouchers, Bitcoin or pre-paid credit cards.

Always take time to check before you act.

How to deal with spam emails

Spam emails are those annoying junk emails sent to many people at once.

Scammers typically advertise fake products and services in spam emails. They design these fakes to look as real as possible to trick people.

Don’t unsubscribe as this confirms to spammers that your email address works.

The most effective way of managing spam emails is to use your email settings to send them to your junk folder.

When Advantedge contacts you

Advantedge will never ask you to:

  • provide your one-time code for authorising transactions
  • transfer money to another account to keep it safe (it’s safe where it is)
  • give us remote access to your devices
  • provide personal information such as a driver’s licence and banking details.

Get help

Advantedge has a dedicated team that can help if you’ve been a victim of a scam or fraud. Contact the Customer Support Team on 1300 155 426.