Ken O'Dowd (Flynn, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

The scammers are out there again. I warn all people to be aware of scammers. I would like for to everyone to be vigilant when taking phone calls as a new scam has hit Central Queensland and probably other areas around Australia.

The latest is a Centrelink scam. Residents report receiving phone calls from scammers claiming to be Centrelink officers. Scammers advise the residents that they are eligible for a rebate and that they need to send money via a wire transfer—would you believe people actually get sucked in on this?—and that if they do not send the money they will lose their benefits and all of their Centrelink payments will be cut.

To protect yourself, do not give personal information such as credit card or bank card details over the phone unless you trust the source 100 per cent. If you receive a phone call out of the blue from someone claiming to be from a government department who claims that you are entitled to money, simply hang up the phone. If you have any doubts about the identity of any caller who claims to represent a business, organisation or government department, contact the body directly. Do not rely on numbers, email addresses or websites provided by the caller. Find them through an independent source such as a phone book or online search. If you think you have provided your account details to someone who is a bit dodgy, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.

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