02 8412 2401 - 0284122401: Business Impersonation and Fake Invoice Scam

• Scam
• Suspicious

Community reports for 02 8412 2401 (0284122401): Callers impersonate legitimate businesses, demand payment for fake invoices, and send fraudulent emails with forged documents.

Business Impersonation and Fake Invoice Scam Reports for 02 8412 2401

Five contributors have flagged calls from 02 8412 2401 (also written as 0284122401) for a coordinated impersonation and invoice fraud scheme. The pattern is consistent: callers claiming to represent legitimate service providers contact targets about outstanding invoices, backed up by fraudulent emails with forged billing documents. One contributor who actually had an account with the impersonated company discovered the scam when they verified directly with the business - their account showed no outstanding balance and had been paid regularly by direct debit.

What makes 0284122401 particularly deceptive is the multi-channel approach. Contributors report receiving both calls and emails from the same scam operation within hours of each other, creating false urgency and legitimacy. One contributor noted "discrepancies everywhere" on the fraudulent email invoice, yet the initial contact was convincing enough to cause concern. The sophistication suggests the scammers had obtained personal information and account details beforehand.

What Callers from 02 8412 2401 Claim

Callers from 02 8412 2401 specifically claim to represent service businesses that targets actually deal with or recognise. A heavily-accented woman was reported claiming to be from Flick Anticimex pest control, referencing the contributor's actual account. The caller demanded confirmation that invoices had been settled or requested immediate payment. Another report describes a similar pattern with a different company - again, a woman with a heavy accent claiming outstanding bills needed payment.

The fraudulent emails accompanying calls from 0284122401 include fake invoice attachments with specific dollar amounts, account numbers, and company letterheads. However, when contributors verified with the actual companies, they learned their accounts were current with no outstanding payments. One contributor's Flick account, for example, had been automatically paid each month via direct debit and showed no arrears whatsoever.

How Scammers Obtained Your Information

A key concern contributors raised about 02 8412 2401 is how the scammers knew personal details and legitimate account information. One contributor explicitly noted "There's been a security breach somewhere" after receiving a call claiming to be from Flick with knowledge of their account. The fact that callers reference real companies and real account holders suggests either a data breach from one or more service providers, or purchase of harvested customer lists. This is a critical indicator - the scammers are not cold-calling randomly but targeting specific individuals with accounts they know about.

Report Patterns and Timing

Reports spanning from March 2024 to May 2026 show this scam operation has been active for over two years. The most recent reports from May 2026 describe identical tactics with the same heavily-accented female caller, suggesting an organised and persistent operation. Three of the five reports explicitly mention the same pattern: a woman claiming to represent a known company, backed by fraudulent email invoices. One contributor received both call and email simultaneously, while another was contacted via SMS with a callback request about a non-existent account.

The consistency across reports about 0284122401 indicates this is not a one-off scammer but an active fraud ring targeting Australian businesses and their customers. The fact that the scammers are using a legitimate local-service phone line allocated to NSW (through Powertel Limited) makes the calls appear more credible.

What to Do If You Receive a Call from 02 8412 2401

If 02 8412 2401 calls you claiming you owe money to a company:

• Do not: Confirm any account details, agree to pay, or provide payment information over the phone
• Do not: Click any links in accompanying emails or open attachments from 0284122401
• Do: Hang up immediately and independently verify by contacting the company directly using a number from their official website or bill
• Do: Check your actual account with the company mentioned - log in online or call their official number to confirm whether any invoice is legitimate
• Do: Block the number 02 8412 2401 if it calls again
• Do: Report the scam to the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) and Scamwatch

What to Do If You Receive an SMS from 02 8412 2401

If you receive an SMS from 0284122401 asking you to call back about an account:

• Do not: Reply to the message or call the number provided
• Do not: Click any links in the SMS
• Do: Delete the message immediately
• Do: Report the SMS as spam by forwarding it to 0429 999 888
• Do: Block 02 8412 2401 on your phone

How to Report 02 8412 2401

If you've been contacted by 0284122401 with a fake invoice scam:

• Report to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au - this helps authorities track fraud patterns
• Lodge a complaint with the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) at acma.gov.au to report the misuse of the phone number
• If you lost money, report to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au
• Contact the legitimate company mentioned in the scam directly to alert them their business is being impersonated
• Share your experience on Reverseau to help other contributors identify 02 8412 2401 as a scam

Frequently Asked Questions