If you’re a Telstra customer, you will definitely want to spend some extra time carefully checking over your bills.

Some clever scammers are sending phishing emails offering recipients refunds for accidentally deducting a double payment of a monthly bill.

These fake messages which claim they are from Gerd Schenkel who is the Telstra’s Executive Director of Digital Sales and Service and have a subject: “Refund Bill Number:” ask the recipient of the email to click to make the claim for the refund of the overpayment. These criminals claim that the payment will be refunded directly to the Telstra account holder’s bank account.

If you are a Telstra customer receiving this via email or text message, please do not click on any links or attachments. Please delete this hoax message immediately.

We recommend that if anyone does send you unsolicited emails and text messages especially those who click a link. If you have any doubts, please contact the company that it claims to be from such as Telstra in this case. If you do accidentally click on the link, you may be exposing your computer, phone, and personal data to criminals for malicious purposes. 1 in 5 Australians are victims of identity theft due to computer hacking, and they can also gain access to other sensitive information about you such as your online banking credentials to withdraw the money in your bank account. They can also take a bank loan out in your name without you knowing about it.

For more information about how phishing emails can affect you, please visit this link.

Stay safe!

— Team BankVault