Scams like these

[AuSammy]

Did the prove id thing with the 2 mobile phone companies I have prepaid with.
Just have to show 2 points of id.
Not sure if this will indeed stop Aus scamming Aus, they just took id # of the id documents.
Didnt even scan photos, tho Optus said photos was needed if online verification, but going into a store, they just need the mobile ph # involved, and show id, and exp dates.
Need home address tho.
So far, Optus has chased me up on this, but went to Telstra too.
Other mobile phone companies might start this up, sooner or later.

interesting. Haven’t been contacted at all.

 

[AustraliaPoochie]

I am on Optus, where you go online to recharge prepaid.
As I had my Aus passport and POA (age card, no dl), I thought I would/might as well go into Telstra as well.
There is some blah somewhere, that ACMA and Anti Scam Centre have brought in a new rule, that they want id.
Think I read it started 01Jul26, so maybe the mobile phone companies are given 6 months or so to chase up customers.
Not sure what the mobile phone companies would do, if the customer ignores the (maybe soon to come), emails.
I think too, that Optus got "burnt", so they are now doing it first.
If you are on prepaid, maybe pop into a Voda/Optus/Telstra store and ask.
Takes about half an hr or so, first they will send a 6 digit 2fa code to your mobile phone, you accept that and tell them the code, then they get your dl/passport/POA cards, they enter the data/details into their ipad/laptops, you "accept the data share", yeah, yikes, (with all their breaches), and thats it.
Telstra also will/might confirm you have the email.
Not sure if this will stop the scammers, press 1 for English, 2 for Chinese tho.
I think those culprits are most likely overseas born Asians (we all know from where), and that the phone numbers are most likely Aussie, and then the call is sent overseas.
Pure speculation of course, as I dont answer the calls/phone them back, ...
But it take all sorts.
The Gina/Andrew/Dick ones, are maybe the other side of our Asian friends, the ones more towards Europe than north towards Russia.
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ACMA Proposes Digital ID for Verification of Prepaid SIM in...

Quick Read Australian telecommunications companies might soon implement Digital ID for verifying prepaid SIM cards. The ACMA's initiative seeks to minimize...

techbest.com.au

 

[Himeno]

ActewAGL did the same thing for the latest bill as they did the same time last year, claiming 10x usage for the gas (hot water) as normal.
Most of the recent reads have been estimates, but have been more reasonable and closer to what the actual reads have shown, so I've just paid them.
This most recent estimate claimed 10 times usage and billed 3x the normal amount, so I sent them a self read.

The photo of the meter I sent them had a lower reading then their estimate for the prior bill. So now they've reissued the past 2 bills (May and Aug) to fit with the reading I sent them.

I would like to know how they can see an average daily use of 2-5MJ for 9 months of the year, then suddenly claim average daily use of 52MJ for the other 3 months.

 

[bPeteb]

It looks like one of the data breaches I've been caught up in has bitten me. I'm going with the infamous QF breach but who knows.

I received an email from Clear Score this morning letting me know I'm late with my CBA personal loan repayments. I haven't banked with CBA for more than 30 years. I called CBA and yes, there is a personal loan, and it matches the details provided on the report. Previous address by the sounds of things. Dispute raised. I have to go into CBA in the city to provide my ID, report to the police, contact my current bank to advise.

What ID did they use? Hopefully CBA will tell me soon so I can replace them.

FFS!

 

[AuSammy]

ActewAGL did the same thing for the latest bill as they did the same time last year, claiming 10x usage for the gas (hot water) as normal.
Most of the recent reads have been estimates, but have been more reasonable and closer to what the actual reads have shown, so I've just paid them.
This most recent estimate claimed 10 times usage and billed 3x the normal amount, so I sent them a self read.

The photo of the meter I sent them had a lower reading then their estimate for the prior bill. So now they've reissued the past 2 bills (May and Aug) to fit with the reading I sent them.

I would like to know how they can see an average daily use of 2-5MJ for 9 months of the year, then suddenly claim average daily use of 52MJ for the other 3 months.

Estimated usage seems to be either an ambit claim for more profit or a secret dark art.

A few years back we went overseas for 3 months and shut absolutely everything off in our apartment. Arrived back to an electric bill for double the usage of the same period the year before. Obviously dispute raised and formal read ended up with a retraction and minor refund for the previous period.

 

[Forg]

Estimated usage seems to be either an ambit claim for more profit or a secret dark art.

A few years back we went overseas for 3 months and shut absolutely everything off in our apartment. Arrived back to an electric bill for double the usage of the same period the year before. Obviously dispute raised and formal read ended up with a retraction and minor refund for the previous period.

You never get any sort of interest back for these things.

I'm no Business person, but in Businesses with the ability to leverage it, isn't it worthwhile financially to get access to money sooner?

So if "they" (where "they" can be providing anything with a meter) are over-estimating a bunch of usage counts, they're making money out of it, even if they pay you back after a few months or a year or whatever.