Posted 19/8/11
Beware of scam calls offering carbon tax compensation payments
July 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be alert to scam calls offering to pay carbon tax compensation into your bank account or asking survey questions about the carbon tax.
http://www.scamwatch.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/856815
How the scam works
You receive a call from a scammer claiming to be from the Federal Government or a Federal Government department.
The scammer will ask for your bank account details, possibly including passwords, in order to pay a carbon tax compensation payment into your bank account.
Early reports are that the scammer will offer $5,000 in compensation however this amount may vary from call to call.
The scammer may ask you if you would like the compensation paid via a direct deposit or via cheque.
If you give the scammer your bank details and passwords they may gain access to your money and any personal details which are linked to your bank account.
Some scam callers may also claim to be running a survey on the incoming carbon tax.
Protect yourself
If you receive a phone call out of the blue asking for your bank account or personal details, or claiming you need to pay money to receive a compensation payment, hang up immediately.
Remember that you can still receive scam calls even if you have a private number or have listed your number on the Australian Government’s Do Not Call Register. Scammers can obtain your number fraudulently or from anywhere it has bee publicly listed such as in a phone book.
Be alert to scam survey calls which ask for personal and financial details.
The Australian Government will never call you to ask for your bank account details or to offer you carbon tax compensation.
If you’re not sure that a call is a scam you can check by independently using official contact details, never use phone numbers or email addresses provided by the caller.
NEVER provide or confirm your personal details over the phone unless you made the call using details you found yourself and you trust the other party.
If you think you have provided bank account or credit card details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Report
You can report scams to the ACCC via the report a scam page on SCAMwatch or by calling 1300 795 995.
More information
Stay one step ahead of scammers, follow @SCAMwatch_gov on Twitter or visit http://twitter.com/SCAMwatch_gov.