// Scams & awareness
The “expiring points” scam
What it looks like
A text or email arrives from your bank, Qantas, Velocity, Coles or Telstra. It says you have thousands of points that expire tonight. There’s a link to redeem them before they’re gone.
It feels even more believable right now, and that’s on purpose. Since 1 October, shops can no longer charge you extra for paying by card. That’s a good thing, but the Reserve Bank’s changes also cut what banks earn from cards. Many banks are trimming their rewards programs as a result, and CommBank has replaced its Awards program with a new one called Yello. With real letters about points changes landing in letterboxes, a text about your points doesn’t seem out of place.
Scammers know that. CommBank, NAB, Westpac and HSBC have all warned customers about fake points texts in the last few months.
How it plays out
You open the link and land on a page that looks just like your bank or rewards program. It asks you to log in to see your points.
Then there’s a nice reward waiting for you: a gift card, headphones, a bottle of wine. You just need to pay a small delivery fee with your card.
The reward never arrives. The scammers now have your login, your card details and often your points as well. Sometimes they call a few days later pretending to be your bank’s fraud team, using what they learned to sound convincing.
Why it works
Most of us have no idea how many points we have or when they expire. A deadline makes us act before we think, and a small fee doesn’t feel like much of a risk for something free.
The giveaway
A deadline of today or tonight.
A link in a text asking you to log in.
The text sender shows as “Unverified”. (Since 1 July, Australian phones label texts this way when the business name hasn’t been registered. Not every unverified text is a scam, but it’s a good reason to slow down).
You’re asked for card details to claim something free.
What to do
Don’t tap the link. Always open your bank or rewards apps yourself, or type the website address in.
If your points really are expiring, it will say so in the app.
Points almost never disappear overnight. Programs give plenty of notice, usually by email or letter.
Ignore or delete the text and report it at scamwatch.gov.au.
Already entered your details?
Call your bank straight away using the number on the back of your card, and change your password for that account. It’s never your fault, and the sooner you call, the more they can do.
// Quick tech tip
Check if a photo is really theirs
In last week’s issue about relationship scams, I promised to show you how to check if someone’s photo is really theirs. It’s called a reverse image search. You search with a picture instead of words, and Google shows you where else that picture appears online.
If the the the love of your life (aka a scammer) turns out to be a model in a German clothing catalogue, you’ll know. It’s also handy for checking a Marketplace listing, or finding out what a plant in your garden is.
It works the same way on iPhone and Android.
Reverse image search using the Google app
Step 1: Get the Google app
The Google app has a white background with a coloured letter G on it (blue, red, yellow and green).
Android: it’s usually already on your phone. Swipe up from the bottom of your home screen to see all your apps, and look for it.
iPhone: you may need to download it. Tap the App Store (the blue icon with a white letter A). Tap Search in the bottom right corner. Search for Google and tap Get. Your phone may ask for your Apple password or Face ID, just like when you download any other app.
Step 2: Take a screenshot of the photo
A screenshot is a photo of whatever is on your screen. First, open the message or profile with the photo you want to check, so the photo is showing on your screen.
Then press these two buttons at the same time, and let go straight away:
Android: the power button and the volume down button.
iPhone: the button on the right side and the top button on the left side (volume up).
The screen will flash white, and you may hear a camera click. A small copy of the picture may appear in the corner for a few seconds. You can ignore it, as it disappears by itself. Your screenshot is now saved with your other photos.
Step 3: Open the Google app
On your home screen, open the Google app with the coloured G.
Step 4: Tap the camera
Near the top of the screen at the right end of the search box there are two small icons: a microphone and a camera. Tap the camera (see image above).
The first time you do this, a message will pop up asking if Google can use your photos or camera. Tap Allow (on iPhone, you might see Allow Full Access).
Step 5: Choose your screenshot
Your phone’s camera may switch on, as if you’re about to take a photo. Don’t worry, you won’t take one.
Look at the bottom of the screen. You’ll see either a row of your recent photos, or a small square picture icon in the bottom left corner. Tap the picture icon if you see it, then tap the screenshot you took in Step 2. It will be the newest one, usually first in the list.
Step 6: Look at the results
Google will show your photo at the top of the screen, with a white panel underneath. Scroll down to see other photos that match yours, with the name of the website each one comes from underneath.
What the results tell you
The same photo with a different person’s name, or on lots of different profiles: the person isn’t who they say they are.
The photo appears on a website selling clothes, or a stock photo site: the scammer has borrowed it.
No matches: this is a good sign, but it isn’t proof. A video call is still the best test.
You can use this for other things too, like checking a Marketplace listing or finding out what that plant in your garden is.
// This week’s habit to keep
If a message gives you a deadline, check it yourself. Never through the link they sent.
That’s it for this week.
Let me know if there's something you want to know more about. Reply to this email, I read every one, and it might help someone else too.
Until next time,
John
P.S. Know someone who’s sitting on a pile of points? Forward this before a scammer finds them first.
New here? Subscribe to get it straight to your inbox every week.
