Don’t let someone trick you into paying to have your number listed on the Australian Government’s free Do Not Call Register.
SCAMwatch has heard that devious telemarketers have been calling Australian consumers and requesting payment to list their telephone numbers on the Do Not Call Register.
If you agree, you will not only lose any money you pay, but you could also put your financial details and personal security at risk!
Be alert. Don’t agree to any request to pay to have your number listed. Instead, hang up and lodge a complaint with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA), the Australian Government agency which administers the register. By reporting the scam you can help ACMA put a stop to it.
Protect yourself
- Be alert—The Do Not Call Register is a free Government service—you should never be asked to pay for it.
- Be cautious if you are contacted out of the blue by someone claiming to be from a government department requesting personal information or payment. Always contact the department before responding using contact details from a trusted source.
- Never give out your personal, credit card or online account details over the phone unless you made the call and the phone number came from a trusted source.
- If you think you have provided your account details to a scammer, contact your bank or financial institution immediately.
Report
SCAMwatch recommends you report this scam to the ACMA by calling 1300 792 958 or by lodging a complaint on the ACMA website.
More information
The Do Not Call Register is a secure database where you can list your numbers to avoid receiving unsolicited telemarketing calls and marketing faxes. Inclusion on the Do Not Call Register lasts for eight years, and registering is fast, free and easy—simply call 1300 792 958 or go to https://www.donotcall.gov.au/.
The ACCC and ACMA have issued a joint media release about phone scams.
For more information about how you can protect yourself from scams like this one, check out the Up-front payment scams page on SCAMwatch.
