Welcome to this month’s edition of Cyber Insights! In this issue, we explore common scams to watch out for, report on the latest security breaches, and spotlight a new campaign recently launched by Scamwatch.
SCAMS
Scam text messages often mimic government agencies, businesses, or even family and friends to deceive you. They appear urgent, include links to fake websites, and aim to steal personal information for fraud or theft. Scammers use spoofing to copy sender IDs, making these messages seem genuine—even appearing in the same thread as real ones.
Scam emails look like the real thing, but watch out for links and attachments designed to steal your money or information. Scammers send ‘urgent’ emails pretending to be from the government, law enforcement and businesses. They use the same logo and a similar email address as the real organisation. Scammers can also copy or ‘spoof’ the email address of an organisation or business to make the scam email look more real.
SECURITY BREACHES
Australian Banking Apps Targeted by Global Malware Attack.
In December 2024, a sophisticated malware campaign targeted Android users of major Australian banks, including the big four, Suncorp, Bank of Queensland, Bendigo Bank, ING Australia, and PayPal. Attackers impersonated recruiters, prompting victims to download a fake CRM app that installed the Antidot Banker malware, designed to steal credentials from banking and other critical applications.
Retailer Payment Portal Breach Exposes Customer Data!
In December 2024, Australian retailer Stan Cash revealed that its payment portal had been compromised for an entire year, exposing sensitive customer information. One customer reported $6,000 in fraudulent transactions after purchasing a kettle. The breach affected customers’ credit card information, names, email addresses, and addresses.
CYBERSECURITY TIPS
Stop. Check. Protect. to keep us safe from scammers!
Scams are getting harder to spot. Scammers increasingly take advantage of new technology, new products or services and major events to create believable but deceptive stories.
That’s why Scamwatch are tackling the threat of scams with the launch of their Stop. Check. Protect. campaign. The campaign will spread awareness of sophisticated scam tactics, remind people that anyone can lose money, financial or personal details to a scam, and encourage everyone to report scams to Scamwatch.
The ads feature everyday people speaking to mini versions of themselves, which represent their inner voices and remind them to Stop. Check. Protect. These 3 simple steps can help keep you safe from scams. When we all take these steps together, we build community resilience to scams.
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Stay protected! To avoid being scammed:
STOP- Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure.
CHECK- Consider who you’re dealing with and ask yourself: could the message or call be fake?
PROTECT- Act quickly if something feels wrong and report scams to Scamwatch. Your report will help us protect others.
If you’ve been affected
Don’t be embarrassed about being scammed.If you have shared financial information or transferred money, contact your bank immediately. If you have given away your personal information, you can call IDCARE for help on 1800 595 160.
When you report the scam, the people who read your report understand how you are feeling. You are not alone. Contacting support services can help you understand what happened but also tells authorities about scam activities so they can work on making it harder for scams to succeed. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch.
Who is the National Anti-Scam Centre?
The National Anti-Scam Centre is where government and industry work together to protect Australians from scams. They are harnessing shared resources and smarter analytics to identify blind spots, strengthen weak links and use data to react faster, stopping scams before they happen. They aim to make Australia a harder target for scammers.
For more information about how to avoid or report a scam, visit Scamwatch
Find out more about cybersecurity for your business here or book a complimentary consultation with our Chief Information Security Officer, Chris Haigh here
