WARNING - Auspost SMS delivery scam

[Cage]

Bought a few bits to go with the D810 (grip, L Bracket etc) so I am expecting the usual SMS from Auspost re delivery.

Yesterday I received a SMS, purportedly from Auspost, stating that "your parcel 69oxxxxzzzzzz will not ship from the distribution center (sic), due to outstanding shipping costs. Track your package: Http://xxxxxxzzzzzz

A quick(ish) call to Auspost confirmed my suspicions that it was some sort of scam. Oh, and I never noticed the give-away, the American spelling of 'center', until I was typing this.

Just another reminder to NEVER EVER click on any links, email or SMS, no matter who they say they are. It only takes a short time to dig out the correct link from your records.

This attempted scam has been made possible by eBay's habit of including your phone # on their address labels. A great idea if not for the thieves out there who are always looking for new ways to rip you off.

[ameerat42]

Well spotted and TFTW, Cage.

I get droves of drivel like that (in Spam folder) from "DHL" and the like.
- I have never ordered anything from anyone anywhere

[ricktas]

We have had one around Hobart of late where a person knocks on your door, dressed in what appears to be an Australia Post polo (with logo). You have a delivery, however as it is alcohol we can only give it to someone over 18. Do you have a credit card and drivers licence so we can confirm this. They then scan the credit card through what looks like an eftpos machine, give you the two bottles of wine. Then in the next 24 hours they take $'000s out of the credit card.

People are being told that if they come to your door when you are 'getting your wallet/purse' grab your phone and video them. They are of sub-continental appearance.

[arthurking83]

.... Then in the next 24 hours they take $'000s out of the credit card.

People are being told that if they come to your door when you are 'getting your wallet/purse' grab your phone and video them. They are of sub-continental appearance.

Oh! .. they'd be great fun to play with, but I never get these fun guys.

I'd somehow try to make up a fake CC and get them to steal thousands of non existent $s from a CC that doesn't exist ... I get two bottle so vino to boot, while they're off thinking their going to scam someone's CC.
I'd love to know if they'd come back to explain that the CC didn't work, and how their machine is a scam and so on.

Anyhow, this morning I had a nice chap come to my door. Don't normally open, and if I do I'm usually busy doing something like not cooking dinner, or bathing the cat(that I don't have) and so forth .. thank you, have a nice day door closes kind'a stuff.

But this morning the guy comes to door and begins to explain he's from V line, and apologises .. basically seemed somehow legit.
Anyhow the story he's going on about, something about how this fellow, and employee of V line made rude remarks to a customer, not so much in a bit of trouble, but this guy at my door is the person investigating the incident.

After a couple of mins, I'm thinking what's this got to do with me?
Maybe this chap thinks I was present and wants an eye witness point of view or something.
Anyhow, he rattled off a name, and I stop him short a bit and explain .. I don't know this person.
Then the penny dropped, I asked him, which house number he was after ... turned out he needed No 11 .... I'm at 21!

Had a bit of a laugh .. so I found out that some VLine employee on the Geelong line made rude remarks to a customer, will almost likely lose that job(or a min get demoted to a lesser job) .. no news, no scam, and a bit of chuckle at the end of it.

But I wait in hope for two free bottles of wine

[Glenda]

I've received that email a few times Kev - luckily every time it appears I'm not expecting any deliveries. Scammers are getting more devious and clever in their presentation.

[Cage]

I've received that email a few times Kev - luckily every time it appears I'm not expecting any deliveries. Scammers are getting more devious and clever in their presentation.

Today's technology offers thieves a high degree of anonymity. One would assume that the SMS I received was sent from overseas on a cheapie throw away phone, bought in a false name, so almost impossible to trace.

I'd bought a few add-ons for my camera , supposedly from AU based companies, but almost certainly drop shipped from the Far East, so my postage label was accessible to plenty of baddies overseas.

I only buy the minor add-ons from overseas so if I get stung it doesn't hurt too much.

Gawd I hate thieves, with a passion. !!!!!