NBN Co ramps up education to combat rise in scams

NBN Co is launching an awareness drive across the country as calls to the company’s contact centre about suspected scams reach in excess of 9,500 enquiries for the past quarter, at an average of 100 a day.

As part of National Scams Awareness Week, nbn local, NBN Co’s community engagement team¹, will visit and host a series of information sessions across the country to arm residents with advice to help identify and avoid scammers.

Currently, more than 10 million Australian homes and businesses are now able to make the switch to the nbn™ access network with the rollout on track for completion in 2020.

NBN Co’s Chief Security Officer, Darren Kane, said the company’s increased focus on scams prevention comes amid the proliferation of scammers at a time when the network rollout is reaching mass scale.

“Through our interactions with the community, we know that scams are, without a doubt, a major topic of concern with respect to the nbn. Our own contact centre has received more than 9,500 enquiries over the past quarter alone from the public, nationally, about suspected scams.

“As we close in on the end of the network build, scammers are increasing their efforts to take advantage of the nbn brand as a way to steal people’s personal or financial details and using increasingly sophisticated ways to convince people of their legitimacy.

“We want to help set the record straight when it comes to scams so that Australians aren’t confused or deterred from making the switch, which is why it’s never been more important for residents to understand how to connect to the nbn, as well as how we communicate with the public during the rollout.

“This week, our teams across the country will be concentrated on arming residents, and particularly those who help some of the vulnerable in our community with utilities, with information on what to look out for and what to do if they suspect they have been contacted by a scammer impersonating NBN Co.

“As NBN Co is a wholesaler, we will never contact residents or businesses to sell phone or internet services. We will never make unsolicited calls or door knock for the purposes of seeking access to people’s computer, threaten to disconnect your services or request personal or financial details.

“Your phone and internet provider will always be the first point of contact when it comes to making the switch to the nbn™ network, so if you’re in doubt, hang up and contact your provider to verify the call.”

For a list of upcoming nbn Local information sessions, visit: www.nbnco.com.au/events.

NBN Co’s top tips for protecting against scammers:

• Visit NBN Co’s website at www.nbn.com.au/scamadvice for information on how to identify and avoid potential scammers or for advice if you suspect you have been scammed.
• Remember NBN Co is a wholesaler, which means it does not sell phone or internet services directly to the public. People need to contact their preferred phone and internet provider in order to make the switch.
• Do not share your financial information ((i.e. bank, credit card or gift card details) or personal details with an unsolicited caller or door knockers trying to seek payment for an nbn™ service.
• Never give an unsolicited caller remote access to your computer or devices via the installation of programs, such as Team Viewer.
• NBN Co does not make automated calls, such as robocalls, to advise of disconnections to nbn or existing copper phone line services. Do not engage with these calls.
• If in doubt, hang up and call your retail service provider on their official customer service.