Australian telco Optus has joined forces with the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange (AFCX) and major banking institutions to tackle the rising issue of SMS scams. In a first in the industry, it has introduced a new initiative called 'Call Stop' to protect its customers from falling victim to these fraudulent activities, according to the official statement.
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How Call-Back Scams Work
SMS scams, also known as call-back scams, involve scammers sending messages claiming issues with the recipient's bank account and requesting them to call back on a provided number. Once the unsuspecting victim calls back, they are connected to a scammer impersonating their bank, who then manipulates them into providing access to their account or transferring money to the scammer's control.
Automated Message to Expose Scammers
With the implementation of Call Stop, Optus aims to disrupt this scamming technique. When a customer calls an identified scam number, their call is automatically redirected to an automated message that alerts them of the scam.
The message states, "The number you have called has been reported as being used for scam activities. For more information, please visit CallStop."
This prevents the customer from being scammed while confirming that the received warning or threat was indeed a fake message.
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Collaborative Efforts to Block Scam Calls
Optus stated that AFCX and several major Australian banks have collaborated to create a list of scam phone numbers that have been reported by both banks and customers. This list is then used to identify and block any potential scam calls through the Call Stop program.
Optus said, "Call Stop is our latest weapon in this battle and protects customers when they have been tricked into ringing a scam number. The automated message very clearly exposes the scam, and the number is then blocked."
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Proactive Measures Against Scammers
Optus said it has been proactive in combating scams, with previous initiatives resulting in the blocking of millions of scam calls and SMS messages. Since December 2020, the company has blocked 320 million scam calls and nearly 80 million SMS scam messages. Currently, Optus is preventing close to five million calls and 10 million SMS messages per month.
