Double-jabbed Australians are urged to watch out for ‘convincing’ scam messages claiming to contain their vaccine passports – here’s what to do if you receive one
- Thousands of Australians receive scam text message offering vaccine passports
- Scamwatch has urged anyone who receives the text to delete it immediately
- Anyone who clicks the ‘convincing’ link may have personal information stolen
Double-dosed Australians are being warned to watch out for a ‘convincing’ text message scam claiming to offer access to vaccine passports, but in reality steals your personal data.
Thousands have received the text which appears to be from an official government source claiming ‘your digital Covid-19 passport in available’.
The message from sender BeCovidSafe then offers a link to sign up for a vaccine passport, but authorities say it’s a con and are urging anyone who receives the text to delete it immediately.
Double-dosed Australians are being warned to watch out for a ‘convincing’ text message scam offering access to vaccine passports (stock image)
Authorities say the text is a con and are urging anyone who receives the text to delete it immediately
‘As Covid-19 restrictions start to ease for vaccinated people in some parts of Australia, beware of scams relating to vaccine passports,’ The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch said Tweet.
‘These can look convincing but are a scam designed to steal your personal info. If you receive a message like this, just delete it!’
Vaccine passports are widely in use across many other parts of the world allowing fully vaccinated residents more freedom to attend venues and public events than those who refuse to get the jab.
It is expected a similar concept will eventually be introduced across Australia once national vaccination targets of 70 and 80 per cent are reached.
The New South Wales government is already working on an app that will enable double-dosed residents to prove their vaccination status automatically when they scan into venues using a QR code.
Prime Minister Scott Morrison (pictured) has thrown his support behind a vaccine passport system
Vaccine passports are widely in use across many other parts of the world allowing fully vaccinated residents more freedom to attend venues and public events than those who refuse to get the jab. Pictured: A patient receives the Pfizer vaccination at the Belmore Medical GP in Sydney
Prime Minister Scott Morrison has also thrown his support behind a vaccine passport system in recent days championing the idea that venues should have the right to refuse unvaccinated Australians.
‘A business under property law has the ability to say ‘no, you can’t come in’, and they can ask for that [proof of vaccination], that’s a legitimate thing for them to do, and they’re doing that to protect their own workers, to protect their other clients,’ Morrison told 2GB.
‘It’s got nothing to do with ideology, and these issues around liberty and so on. We all believe in freedom, but we also believe in people being healthy.
‘The sheer fact of it is, if you’re not vaccinated, you represent a greater public health risk to yourself, to your family, to your community and others about you, so it’s only sensible that people will do sensible things to protect their public health.’
Australians lost a record $851million to scammers in 2020 with many online con artists taking advantage of the pandemic and the influx of government messaging
But with uncertainty still surrounding how life will proceed in the wake of the pandemic, scammers are cashing in on the confusion.
Australians lost a record $851million to scammers in 2020 with many online con artists taking advantage of the pandemic and the influx of government messaging.
‘Unfortunately scammers continue to become more sophisticated and last year used the COVID-19 pandemic to scam and take advantage of people from all walks of life during this crisis,’ Scamwatch said.
Anyone who may have fallen victim to a cam can report the incident to Scamwatch.