Is it really Telstra calling?
This week, Telstra is launching its largest marketing campaign dedicated to raising community awareness about telemarketers who attempt to mislead customers, and scammers who attempt to obtain customers’ personal information via the telephone.
The centrepiece of the campaign is an information flyer entitled, ‘Is it really Telstra calling?’ Between now and Christmas, the flyer will be direct mailed to six million customers with their bill; it will be available online on Telstra.com and via Telstra’s social media channels; and it will also be promoted in the print and online versions of Smarter Business magazine.
The flyer provides examples of what telemarketers and scammers who impersonate Telstra staff say on the telephone. Most importantly, the flyer also clearly sets out what authorised Telstra staff will say when they contact customers on the telephone.
Telstra knows customers receive phone calls from people impersonating Telstra staff, who try to switch them to another telephone company, or try to gain access to their personal information.
The unethical conduct of these people makes it difficult for customers to tell the difference between a call made by an authentic Telstra representative, and a call made by someone impersonating a Telstra representative.
To help you avoid purchasing an offer that is too good to be true, or falling victim to a telephone scammer, the information flyer will help you determine if it really is Telstra calling.
Customers can find out more information, view the flyer or report rogue telemarketers and telephone scammers by calling Telstra on 1800 260 270 or by visiting the ‘Is it really Telstra calling?’ website.
5 Top tips to avoid phone scams:
- If you’re not sure that the person on the other end of the phone is legitimate, hang up and call the organisation by using their official contact details
- Be wary of sharing personal, credit card or banking details over the phone
- Never give unsolicited caller remote access to your computer
- Make sure your computer is protected with regularly updated anti-virus and anti-spyware software
- If your alarm bells are ringing or you think something’s not quite right, just hang up