Telstra receives odd texts on scam reporting line
A scam text reporting line set up by Telstra has received thousands of incorrect reports of scams, prompting the telco to explain to users what to send through.
A matching pair of yellow tractors, surveillance photos of cows in a paddock and countless food deliveries on doorsteps were among the incorrect reports to the national "Snitch on Scammers" cyber security line.
Telstra has received around 50,000 texts since the line was set up in May but many of them weren't genuine scams.
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Telstra's scam reporting line recieved a survelliance photo of cows. Telstra
These yellow diggers were also sent to the line, prompting Telstra to ask customers to only report scams. Telstra
The scam line recieved many photos of photo deliveries, which are not scams. Telstra
Telstra's cyber security expert Darren Pauli said most scams only last a few minutes or hours.
"So don't delay in reporting them," Pauli said.
SMS remains the most common way a scam will reach Aussies and the text line does help experts identify and block scams from reaching people when used effectively.
Telstra is asking people to forward messages and not to send screenshots, otherwise it's not traceable and to only report messages that are suspected scams.
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