Scams are everywhere — by phone, by text, by email, and on the internet. They are not new, and they are not your fault. Even people who work in IT get caught sometimes. The good news: most scams follow the same few patterns, and once you know what to look for, they get easier to spot.
The four big red flags
If a call, text, or message has any of these, slow down. It is almost certainly a scam.
- Urgency. "Your account will be closed in 30 minutes." "Pay this fine today." Real businesses give you time.
- Strange ways to pay. Gift cards, cryptocurrency, bank transfers to a personal name. No real company asks for these.
- Asking for codes or passwords. Your bank, the ATO, Telstra, and Pennytel will never ask you to read out a code from a text message. Never.
- "You have won" or "You owe." If a windfall or a debt comes out of nowhere, it is not real.
Scams happening right now in Australia
Fake delivery texts
A text says a parcel could not be delivered and asks you to click a link to pay a small fee. The link goes to a fake Australia Post page that steals your card details. Australia Post never asks for payment by SMS — if you are expecting a parcel, go to the auspost.com.au website yourself and use the tracking number.
"It is the bank — there is fraud on your account"
The caller sounds professional. They say there is suspicious activity and they need to move your money to a "safe account." This is always a scam. Hang up. Ring your bank using the number on the back of your card — not a number the caller gave you.
Tech support calls
Someone calls saying they are from Microsoft, Telstra, or your internet provider. They say your computer has a virus and they want remote access to fix it. They do not. Hang up.
The ATO and MyGov
The Australian Taxation Office does not call you and threaten arrest. It does not text you a link asking for your bank details. If you are worried, log into MyGov yourself in your browser (do not click any link) and check your inbox there.
What to do when something feels off
- Stop. Do not click, do not pay, do not give out any information.
- Hang up or close the message. You will not be rude. They are scammers.
- Verify it yourself. If they said they were from your bank, ring the number on the back of your card. If they said they were from Pennytel, ring us on the number on your bill.
- Ask someone you trust. A family member, a friend, anyone. Talking it through out loud is one of the best ways to see a scam clearly.
If you think you have been scammed
First, do not be embarrassed. It happens to thousands of Australians every week. Then:
- Ring your bank straight away if you have given out card or banking details. They can freeze the card and may be able to reverse the transaction.
- Change your passwords on any accounts the scammer might have access to. Start with email and banking.
- Report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au. This helps protect other people.
- Tell someone. Family, the police, or our support team. You are not alone in this.
We are here to help
If a call or text says it is from Pennytel and you are not sure, do not engage with it. Ring us on the number on your bill, or contact us through our website. We would much rather take a five-minute call to confirm something is not us than have you lose money to a scammer.
Telco-specific scams to watch for
Because we are a telco, we see a particular cluster of scams pretending to be from Pennytel (or another provider). These are the four you are most likely to run into.
Fake bills by SMS or email
A bill arrives that looks roughly like one of ours — your name, an amount, a "pay now" link. The link goes to a fake page that captures your card. Real Pennytel bills are sent from billing@pennytel.com.au and never include a one-click pay link in an SMS. If you are unsure, log in at portal.pennytel.com.au directly and check your account from there.
"We owe you a refund" SMS
A text claims you are owed a refund or credit and asks for your bank details to send it. We do not issue refunds by SMS, and we will never ask for your bank details in a text. Any refund we owe you appears as a credit on your next bill or comes back to the original payment method automatically.
SIM-swap and porting calls
Someone rings claiming to be from Pennytel (or another provider) and says they need to "transfer your number" or "activate a new SIM." Their goal is to take over your mobile number so they can intercept your bank's SMS codes. We will never call you out of the blue to ask you to authorise a SIM swap or a port. If you get a porting confirmation SMS you did not request, reply with the cancel keyword shown in the message and ring us straight away on the number on your bill.
"Your service will be disconnected" robocalls
An automated voice tells you your phone or internet will be cut off in 24 hours unless you press 1 to speak to a representative. Press 1 and you get a scammer who pressures you to pay an urgent "outstanding balance" by gift card or bank transfer. We never disconnect a service without sending you written notice and giving you time to respond. Hang up.
What to do if any of these happen
Do not click the link. Do not press 1. Do not give out any details. Ring us on the number on your bill — or log into your account at portal.pennytel.com.au — and we will check whether anything is actually going on with your service. If it turns out to be a scam, you can also report it to scamwatch.gov.au.