At G&C Mutual Bank your online security is important to us, and we regularly share scam awareness articles to help keep you safe. We have received information from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) and the Customer Owned Banking Association (COBA) about an emerging scam trend called Flubot that could affect you, your family, and your friends.
What is the Flubot scam?
The ACCC has received over 12,000 reports of the Flubot scam since 2 August 2021. Initially, the scam involved consumers receiving SMS text messages about voicemails or missed calls. Most recently, the scam has evolved to relate to messages about parcel deliveries. View the latest examples of these types of scams on the Scamwatch website.
The scam SMS text message will ask you to tap on a link to download an app to track or organise a time for delivery or hear a voicemail message. However, the message is fake. There’s no delivery or voicemail, and the app is malicious software called Flubot.
If you receive one of these messages, do not click or tap the link. Delete the message immediately.
When you have made a purchase online and are expecting a delivery, ensure that the correct order number is shown in the delivery email or text. Do not click on any links unless you are sure that they relate to a genuine order.
What happens if you click the link?
Both Android phones and iPhones can receive texts from the Flubot. If you click the link and download the app presented, your phone will be infected. Once installed, the application is able to read and send further SMS text messages, make calls, and access your contacts. The app uploads the infected device’s contact lists to a central server, which distributes them to other infected Australian phones, so that those phones can distribute the Flubot messages to numbers copied from contact lists. The ACCC has advised that while Flubot can only infect Android devices, clicking the links in the messages may cause iPhones to download other malware.
How to protect yourself
- Do not click on links in SMS text messages advising you of a voicemail or missed call.
- Delete the message immediately.
- Do not provide your SMS OTPs to others.
- Do not call back the individual who sent the text. (Scammers can disguise their caller ID as legitimate numbers to carry out these scams.)
- Ensure your mobile phone's anti-virus software is up to date.
Need help?
If you believe someone has gained access to your personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical in giving you the best chance to stem any loss.
- If you have concerns about your G&C Mutual Bank account, contact us on 1300 364 400.
- You can find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via the Scamwatch website.
Further information about scams is available on our Security News page.
