- Suspicious
- Scam
The number 08 8853 8852 is associated with a Telstra impersonation scam targeting vulnerable individuals. Learn how to identify and handle calls from this number to protect yourself against potential online threats.
Understanding the Scam Behind 08 8853 8852
The phone number 08 8853 8852 / 0888538852 has garnered attention for its deceptive practices, with reports clearly marking it as a scam associated with a Telstra impersonation scheme. Many individuals have come forward, detailing alarming interactions that significantly raise flags regarding their authenticity.
Scam Description
According to user feedback, the callers from this number often pose as Telstra representatives, warning victims of supposed internet issues that require immediate attention. This strategy primarily targets older Australians, exploiting their trust and lack of technical savvy. These callers usually go on to convince victims to allow remote access to their computers, claiming they need to resolve the 'issues' they present.
- Nature of the Scam: Claims of hacking threats intended to instigate fear and urgency.
- Tactics Used: Requesting remote access to personal computers under false pretenses, often demanding sensitive information or urging victims to purchase gift cards to 'verify' their accounts. This is a new form of a common scam where scammers try to retrieve personal banking and credential information.
- Victim Impact: Users have reported significant security breaches where personal data was compromised, sometimes leading to unauthorized access to bank accounts.
How to Handle Calls from 08 8853 8852
If you receive a call from this number, it is advised to handle it with caution. Here are some practical steps:
- Do not provide personal information over the phone, especially financial details.
- If the caller claims to be from Telstra or any other service provider, hang up and call the official number directly to verify their claims.
- Report any suspicious calls to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to help raise awareness.
Conclusion
The number 08 8853 8852 / 0888538852 is undeniably associated with scam activity, focusing on impersonating a trusted brand to exploit individuals. If you're ever uncertain about the legitimacy of a call, it's best to utilise services such as Reverseau, or conduct a Reverse Phone Lookup in Australia to determine the true identity of the callers. Awareness and caution can protect you and your loved ones from falling victim to complex scams like this one.
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What Our Users Reviewed
This woman claimed to be from Telstra warning about hackers. Told her I was an Optus customer and that I was going hang up and to ring Telstra myself. She hung up immediately.
The callers on this number are scam artists. They claim to be from Telstra and convince old people they have an Internet issue that they can fix. Then they get the receiver of the call to access the Internet on a computer and then load a payload on the computer to gain remote control.
They access passwords that may be saved on the computer of a financial nature and try to gain control of any accessible online bank accounts. They even trick the unknowing victim to pass on the second level authentication SMS after resetting their internet banking password.
They ask the victim to buy an iTunes card online with a credit card presumably to record its details. Also they claim to want to deposit $10000 from Telstra into your bank account which they later want removed and paid into another bank account.... Interesting story.
Beware these people are total tricksters aiming to fleece people of their money. Lucky the receiver of this call woke up after several hours on the phone there was something strange going on.
Finally with the payload you lose control of your computer by them installing a secondary non-Windows password. The only way around this was to perform a system recovery.