Newcastle residents are among the thousands of Australians being targeted by a scam the ACCC has labelled Flubot.
The scam operates through text messages that encourage the viewer to tap on a link to hear a voicemail message. Phone users are told they must download an app to hear the voicemail.
However, the message is fake, there is no voicemail and the link provided works to install malicious software onto the phone user’s device.
According to government regulator Scamwatch, both Android and Apple devices are vulnerable, although iPhones are marginally better protected.
Just three weeks after alerting the public to Flubot in August, the regulator received 5500 reports from Australians describing the scam.
Carrington mum Kerrie March said she had been receiving several Flubot texts every day for the past few weeks.
“Because all my kids’ iPads are linked to my phone, all I’m hearing is ding, ding, ding. The texts come through at 3 o’clock in the morning, 5 o’clock in the morning.”
While March usually ignores the texts, she received one on Tuesday night that appeared legitimate and clicked into it.
It purported to be from courier company DHL, which NSW Police warn is the latest adaptation of the scam.
“It said I had an order from DHL and to click on the link. So I thought, ‘oh yeah, I’ve got a few packages I’m waiting on’.
“But I clicked on the link and all I saw was a message offering me a free item, and I quickly clicked out of it knowing that was a scam,” she said.
March said so far, there had been no suspicious activity on her phone.
“From what I have heard, nothing is happening unless you give them further information, which I haven’t done.”
Her experience is consistent with advice from Scamwatch. The regulator said phone users who received Flubot texts should avoid clicking on the links and should immediately delete the message.
When people do click the links, they see a screen depicting their phone number, the purported length of the fake text message, and an invitation to download an app.
Scamwatch warns if people do download the app, the malware installed could read their text messages, make calls or texts from their number or access their contacts.
For Newcastle student Yolondie Cherry, the scam texts are more irritating than dangerous.
“I have been receiving them almost daily. It is annoying and I just feel it’s such a malicious thing to do, to send people scam messages during an already heightened time of anxiety and confusion,” she said.
“There’s a lot of people who might click on it and panic.”
She said she realised quickly that it was a scam because many of the texts had typos.
“For example, one said ‘New messoge from servic provider’ so I was never tempted to click!”
However, Kerrie March warns the messages do not always include spelling mistakes, which is why she trusted the apparent DHL text.
“All the other ones that I have received had a spelling mistake somewhere, but this one didn’t. I didn’t even think to click on the rest of them because they all had spelling mistakes.”
The mother, who is currently homeschooling, said her family was also receiving scam calls.
“My son yesterday answered a phone call and they were trying to get details out of him. He’s only 12. They are harassing kids, which is sickening.”
Scamwatch said the Flubot scam had begun overseas earlier in 2021 and it was likely the perpetrators were foreign.
NSW Police declined to provide comment on Flubot investigations. Police are urging people to keep up to date with information from Scamwatch, and to contact IDCARE, as well as personal finance institutions, if they suspect their personal details may have been compromised.
Lauren Freemantle