Recipients of email messages like the sample below, which appear as if they came from The Australian Government Department of Human Services requesting personal information in order to receive their 2017 subsidy benefits, should delete the email messages and not follow the instructions in them. This is because the email messages are phishing scams send by cybercriminals or scammers to trick potential victims into sending them their personal information. And, once the cyber crooks have received their potential victims’ information, they will attempt to scam them, or sell the same information to other scammers.
Remember, The Australian Government Department of Human Services will never send email messages to Australians asking them to respond with their personal or financial information.
Sample of the “Your 2017 Subsidy Benefit” Australian Government Department of Human Services Scam
From: Australian Government Department of Human Services
Sent: Monday, 9 January 2017 9:21 AM
Subject: [SPAM] Your 2017 Subsidy benefit - Message ID: Sucs063x3
The Department of Human Services is pleased to inform you of your qualification for 2017 subsidy benefit.
In order to affirm your eligibility, simply reply to this secure message with the following details as listed below & you will be notified shortly.
Given name (first only):
Family name/Surname:
Date of Birth (dd/mm/yyyy):
Tax File Number:
Complete Address (Street number & name/Suburb/State/Postcode):
Enter at least 2 of the information listed below correctly
1. Dividends statement (one from the last 2 years) Enter the investment reference number from your dividend statement (no spaces or '/' symbols, e.g. X0011223344) :
2. Notice of assessment (one from the last 5 years) Enter the date of issue from your notice of assessment (DD/MM/YYYY):
& Enter the sequence or our reference number from your notice of assessment (no spaces) :
3. PAYG summary (one from the last 2 years) Enter the gross amount (no spaces or "$" "." symbols, e.g. 2400):
4. Superannuation account details (one from the last 5 years) Enter the super fund ABN (numbers only):
& Enter the member account number (no spaces):
5. Centrelink payment summary (one from the last 2 years) Enter the taxable income amount from your Centrelink payment summary (no spaces or "$" "." symbols, e.g. 2400):
6. Enter either a bank account your income tax refund was paid into for the last financial year, or an interest bearing investment account from the last 2 years.
Enter BSB:
Enter Account Number:
©2017 Commonwealth of Australia | Department of Human Services ABN 90 794 605 008