Have you received a call threatening to disconnect your phone service, claiming to be from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) or another government agency? Be wary – this is a scam.
Scammers are targeting people who speak Mandarin by pretending to represent a government agency. Some calls give an English language option.
The caller will claim there has been illegal activity involving the recipient’s phone number and threaten to disconnect the service. These calls may look as if they are coming from an actual ACMA phone number. This is a trick used by scammers to hide their number and convince you the call is genuine. Callers might also mention genuine ACMA phone numbers and website addresses to appear legitimate.
If you receive one of these calls, hang up. Scammers are trying to trick you into providing your personal information. The ACMA will never call and threaten to disconnect your phone number.
If you have any doubt whether a call you’ve received from the ACMA is legitimate, hang up and contact our Customer Service Centre on 1300 850 115 or at info@acma.gov.au.
Scammers target everyone. Learn more about how to protect yourself and your family from phone scams on the ACMA website and make a report to Scamwatch.
If you’re concerned that your identity has been compromised or you’ve been a victim of a scam, contact your bank immediately and call IDCARE on 1800 595 160.
A version of this scam alert is also provided in Simplified Chinese:
