A Brisbane woman narrowly avoided losing her life savings to an Australia Post scam. Rebecca Callander is now urging online shoppers to be wary of scams targeting people in the lead-up to Christmas and during events such as the upcoming Black Friday sales. WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: How cybercriminals are targeting you through fake calls and texts.
Know the news with the 7NEWS app: Download today Industry insiders said scammers were becoming more sophisticated in their approach and have shared tips for avoiding fraudulent activity. Callander, a musician, purchased items online and later received a text message claiming to be from Australia Post. The text said delivery of her parcel had been unsuccessful, and directed her to a link where she could update her address if required.
“I clicked the link and was directed to a webpage that appeared completely legitimate — the layout, the logo, everything seemed in order,” Callander said. “I entered my details to pay the $3.80 postal fee, thinking I had made an error with my postcode and that my package would be re-delivered.
“As soon as I pressed ‘confirm’ to process the fee, I tried to access the ‘contact information’ button, but nothing happened. “I then started clicking on other tabs, only to realise that the webpage was not fully functional and was merely designed to collect information. “That’s when I contacted my bank and immediately froze all my accounts.
” Callander’s bank acted quickly enough that her .