5000 reports of fake energy and telecommunication bill scams were made in the last 12 months in Australia. 

The scammers have impersonated well-known utility companies such as Origin, AGL, Telstra, and Optus. 

“They send bulk emails or letters which include a logo and design features closely copied from the genuine provider. The bill states the account is overdue and if not paid immediately the customer will incur late charges or be disconnected,” Australian Competition and Consumer Commission Deputy Chair, Delia Rickard said. 

“Alternatively, the bill may claim that the customer has overpaid and is owed a refund or it may simply say the bill is due and ready to pay,” Ms Rickard added. 

NSW residents were reported with the highest numbers of victims, with 1779 households being affected. 

NSW was followed by 1275 in Queensland, 1245 in Victoria, 485 in Western Australia, 462 in South Australia, 132 in ACT, 117 in Tasmania, and 38 in the Northern Territory. 

Older residents over 65 are particularly vulnerable to these scams, as they were the highest age group to make reports to Scamwatch. 

“I advise consumers to contact their communications or energy provider directly via the company’s official channels to verify that the email or letter is actually from them,” Ms Rickard said. 

“Customers should never use the contact details provided on the suspicious email or letter but instead use an independent source to locate the contact details such as a past bill or the phone book,” she added.