The Telstra Scam Protect is a new initiative to help customers identify suspicious calls that could be from a scammer operating from overseas.
How many times have you received a call from an unknown number and debated on whether you should answer it.
Now with Telstra Scam Protect the call’s origin is examined through a new alert system to let the customer know in real time if it is suspicious or unverified.
There will be one of three warnings displayed on the screen:
WARNING: POTENTIAL FRAUD: this will tell you that the call is maybe from a scammer using a spoofed number to make it look legitimate and to trick you into answering.
UNVERIFIED: OVERSEAS CALL: this call which may appear to look like it’s from a local number but the network detects that it may have originated from overseas and is therefore suspicious.
WARNING: SUSPICIOUS CALLING PATTERN: this indicates a high volume of incoming traffic from this number which is associated with potential scam which means you should exercise caution.
According to the ACCC, phone scams account for the highest financial losses among other contact methods.
Just last year Australians lost $107.2 million to scammers.
Telstra already blocks more than 11,000,000 scam calls on average each month but cybercriminals are always trying to think outside the square and use different approaches to slip through the net.
But one thing hasn’t changed – their goal is to get you to hand over personal information all your money or both.
Telstra customers will automatically enjoy the benefits of Telstra Scam Protect at no extra cost.
Users don’t have to do anything to activate it.
