Temporary working holiday visa holders are reportedly getting scam text messages which appear to be from the immigration department, seeking final payments for their visa application.
The text messages are targeting international communities in Australia holding temporary working holiday visas.
It is a well-organised ruse to con visa holders into transferring a purported “unpaid Government feeâ€, when none is needed, says a spokesperson for Australia’s Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC).
“The department has received information from a number of clients who have been sent these text messages, which directs them to a bogus web page that appears to be from DIAC.
“Anyone who receives this type of text message seeking payment should ignore the message.â€
The webpage may appear authentic as it contains the department’s logo but can be identified with the words “nettransfer.info†in the web address. It is from this bogus webpage that a payment can be made using a credit card.
It is important to report such incidents to the relevant state or territory police and to the Immigration Dob-In Line on 1800 009 623.
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