Follow these steps to protect yourself and learn how Telstra Scam Protect, our free auto-activated security feature helps you recognise and avoid scam calls.
Staying safe from scams starts with awareness and action. While we can’t stop every scam call, Telstra Scam Protect and some simple security tips, you'll have a much better chance at identifying and avoiding scam calls on your Telstra
Jump to section:
Have you recently received a call from a number you don't know? While it certainly could've been from someone you know, there's also a high chance it could have been a scam call. That's because one in three reported scams happen by phone.
Scammers frequently use phone calls to deceive people, as it's much harder to confirm the caller's identity from their voice.
Scammers can pretend to be from a trusted organisation, like your bank or Telstra. They'll try to create a scenario with a sense of urgency to pressure you into sharing personal information.
You might hear something like this:
There's been an unauthorised payment of $300 from your savings account and we need your bank account details so we can help you reverse this transaction.
This might sound convincing, but remember your bank already has your details. Scammers can be very convincing and we know how easy it is to let your guard down.
Telstra Scam Protect is a free, auto-activated security feature on your Telstra mobile phone service. It alerts you to suspicious calls in real time, helping you decide whether to answer or let it go to voicemail.
It follows a series of free security features, like Device Security Essentials and Scam Indicator to help protect you and your family.
When a suspected scam call comes through, Telstra Scam Protect will send you a message, alerting you to what type of call it could be.
The three messages to look out for are:
Warning: Potential Fraud
The call may be fraudulent. It applies to calls with a spoofed number (when a scammer disguises the caller ID) or suspicious calling patterns.
Warning: Suspicious Calling Pattern
This indicates a high volume of incoming traffic from a single number. This is associated with potential spam and means you should be cautious.
Unverified: Overseas Call
The call appears to be local but our network detects the call to be from overseas and may be suspicious.
While we have security features that can help block scams, being cautious and informed is equally important. Here are practical tips to protect yourself.
If you don’t recognise a number, let it go to voicemail. If something feels off, it’s okay to hang up. If you miss a call and feel unsure, Telstra Scam Protect alerts will appear in your missed call log.
Never use contact details provided in a call, email or SMS. Scammers can easily impersonate someone calling from a major company or organisation.
Fact check: Look up the organisation's official contact information.
Scammers like to create a sense of urgency. That's why it's so important to stop and check.
Ask yourself if you really know who you're communicating with.
Never give out:
Immediately hang up on anyone who tries to threaten or intimidate you.
Familiarise yourself with the different types of active phone scams our Cyber Security team has found.
Always be sceptical of deals that seem unusually generous or unrealistic.
It's important to verify the legitimacy of such offers by checking the source and doing more research before taking any action.
Remember, if something feels off, it's better to be cautious and protect yourself from potential scams.
According to Scamwatch (led by the government's National Anti-Scam Centre), Aussies have reported financial losses of over $147 million AUD in losses from scam calls.
The impact of being scammed goes beyond financial loss. Scam calls can cause emotional distress, affect mental health and lowers confidence in communication technologies.
Telstra Scam Protect is a new security feature designed to warn you about fraudulent and suspicious calls on your smartphone.
When a suspicious call is detected, Telstra Scam Protect sends a warning message to your phone to alert you.
There are three types of warnings that look like this:
⚠️Warning: Potential Fraud
⚠️ Warning: Suspicious Calling Pattern
⚠️ Unverified: Overseas Call
This warning indicates that the call may be fraudulent. It is applied to calls with spoofed numbers (when a scammer falsifies a number to make it look legitimate so you're tricked into answering it) or suspicious calling patterns.
This warning indicates a high volume of incoming traffic from a single number. This pattern is associated with potential spam and is an alert for you to exercise caution.
This warning indicates that the call is coming from overseas and may be suspicious. Note, this will only show for suspicious calls.
Telstra Scam Protect is designed to enhance your call experience by providing warnings for potentially fraudulent or suspicious calls. It does not affect the quality of your calls.
No. If your contact numbers are stored in a phone book or controlled by other applications on your device, these will not be overwritten by Telstra Scam Protect's text.
*A display name is the name of a contact that appears on your phone's screen when you receive a call.
At this time, there is no option for individual customers to opt out of receiving the warnings, as these are part of the overall security and identification enhancements deployed by Telstra.
Some phones may have an inbuilt 'suspicious call indicator' that is similar to Telstra Scam Protect.
Telstra Scam Protect is auto-installed on your mobile service by Telstra. It will not overwrite or interfere with your phone's 'suspicious call indicator' which will have been installed by the phone manufacturer.
Learn what you can do if you've spotted a scam pretending to be Telstra or if you notice unusual expenses on your Telstra account.
If you or someone you know has been scammed, report it. It helps to stop scammers and warn others.
Report a scam
