Scam alert: Phone calls purporting to be from Qantas

SCAMwatch and Qantas are warning people about automated calls from scammers posing as Qantas staff claiming that they’ve won a credit towards their next holiday. If you receive this call, hang up.

Reports have been received from both consumers and businesses about these scam calls, where the recipient picks up the phone and hears a recorded message that claims to be from Qantas. The message will claim that because the person has recently booked a flight with Qantas, they have won a ‘travel prize’ or ‘credit points’ – typically $999 – towards their next holiday.

In order to redeem the credit, the person is directed to press ‘1’. At this point, the person is put directly through to a scammer, who will then state that in order to be eligible for the prize, the person has to ask a few questions first. The scammer may ask whether the person is aged over 30, whether they have a valid credit card, and finally ask for their credit card details so that the prize can be processed.

If you hand over your credit card details, you will find that money has been taken rather than deposited from your bank account.

These scammers appear to be persistent, with some consumers and businesses reporting that they have received several of these calls in one day. Unfortunately scammers pay no heed to private phone numbers or numbers listed on the Do Not Call Register, so if you have a number like this, you can still expect to receive this call.

Qantas have responded to the issue on their website warning people to be wary of the scam and that authorities were currently investigating.

"We are aware that some customers are receiving automated phone calls purporting to be from Qantas. These calls are not from us, and can easily be identified as unauthentic. Qantas consultants will always call customers directly to discuss their bookings and do not use an automated phone system when contacting customers proactively," the statement said.

"Recipients are advised not to provide personal details or respond to the automated prompts.

"Scammers use a range of mechanisms, including “harvesting” programs that scour numerous sources on the Internet, to look for customer information. It is also often the case that the recipients of the scam are not customers of the company purporting to make the phone call – which is why individuals who are not necessarily Qantas customers might have also received a phone call.

"Authorities have been advised of the scam calls and are investigating.

"We are aware that some customers are receiving automated phone calls purporting to be from Qantas. These calls are not from us, and can easily be identified as unauthentic. Qantas consultants will always call customers directly to discuss their bookings and do not use an automated phone system when contacting customers proactively.

"Recipients are advised not to provide personal details or respond to the automated prompts.

"Scammers use a range of mechanisms, including “harvesting” programs that scour numerous sources on the Internet, to look for customer information. It is also often the case that the recipients of the scam are not customers of the company purporting to make the phone call – which is why individuals who are not necessarily Qantas customers might have also received a phone call.

"Authorities have been advised of the scam calls and are investigating."

You can report scams to the ACCC via the SCAMwatch report a scam page or by calling 1300 795 995.

Find out more information about the Qantas scam here.