2020 threats
Phishing email
Scammers are currently sending emails to customers posing as Bankwest. This email asks you to follow a link and then enter your card details, or log in to online banking. Remember – we’ll never ask you for personal details via email, or give you a direct link to online banking.
Cold calls
Recently, we’ve seen a spike in scammers calling customers and posing as us to request card details. If you receive a call like this, make sure you don’t give out any details and hang up straight away.
Amazon scam
This one involves an email or phone call from scammers pretending to be from Amazon. Scammers claim that you’re due for a refund and prompt you to give your card details. If you receive an email or call like this, make sure you don't reply or provide any card details. It might also be a good idea to reach out to Amazon directly to let them know.
If you’ve followed any of these links or think a scammer has your details, make sure you get in touch.
Mail delivery related scams
This scam tries to get access to your card details by claiming to be from postal delivery services, both via email and SMS. The email, which you can see an example of below, prompts you to pay for shipping costs for a parcel delivery and gives you a link to a fake website which tries to get you to enter your card and personal details.

The SMS version of this scam claims that a parcel has been kept at a sorting office for you. It also contains a link to a fake website to try and prompt you to pay a fee to release the parcel. If you receive either of these messages, don’t click on the link or respond.
Free giveaway scams
This scam involves an iPhone giveaway across Facebook, Instagram, Google and YouTube. You’ll see a pop up on your screen promising you a free iPhone for a small delivery fee, which then links to a fake website that prompts you to enter your card and personal details. Alternatively, you might be asked to complete a survey to receive the iPhone. Make sure you ignore these pop-ups.
Coronavirus-related scams
We're currently seeing many instances of scammers impersonating business and government authorities using COVID-19 messages. We've also seen a number of coronavirus-related online shopping scams.
A few specific examples to watch out for are:
Flight refund scam
Scammers are targeting people who are waiting for refunds from airlines that cancelled flights due to the coronavirus shutdown.
The messages include a fake flight refund form and they tell customers to fill it in with their name and credit card details. Using this trick, cybercriminals could collect personal and financial information and use them to carry out a broad range of malicious activities. Data gathered could be also offered for sale on the dark web.
To confirm the source of emails or messages you receive, directly contact the company using a phone number from the company’s website or from a phone number search via the White Pages online directory.
Bitcoin threat phishing email
A phishing email has been circulating demanding that customers buy and send $2,000 worth of Bitcoin within 24 hours to prevent the release of compromising material to their contacts.
The email and password included in the email is likely to have been obtained through an external data leakage from an unknown source and may be a previous password the customer has used for their device or banking.
Texts that appear to come from ‘GOV’ and ‘MyGov’
There have been multiple reports of texts that appear to come from ‘GOV’ and ‘MyGov’, with links to more information related to COVID-19.
For more information about coronavirus-related scams, visit the Stay Smart Online and Scamwatch websites.