Fake calls about deportation

Some people have complained getting calls from unknown numbers with callers pretending to be officials from immigration department. Here's what you need to know about the scam and stay protected...

Fraudsters are calling people and asking for money Source: Pixabay/geraltCC0

Migrants and temporary visa workers have been targeted in a scam that has resulted in the victims losing large sums of money.

There have been reports of such scams throughout the country, with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) receiving more than 300 reports March.

The scammers place calls to various people and claim to be representatives of Department of Immigration. They then ask the victims to pay them money to fix some errors in their paperwork. Failing to do so could result in deportation, they threaten.

More details on the scam can be found here.

Preventive Measures

Migration agent Irfan Ali spoke to SBS Urdu about these scams and shared some observations and preventive measures.

• You will always get these calls from a private number.
• If you ever get any such calls that ask you to fix your paperwork, you should always ask them to send you a written correspondence. It is your right to have an official written correspondence from the Department of Immigration, and if the callers fail to do so there's a chance they might be scammers.
• If you sense you are getting scam calls you should immediately report them to authorities.
• If you have ended up paying money to these scammers you should contact your bank and explain the situation as soon as possible.

Disclaimer: These are just a few suggestions to keep you safe from the scammers. From more detailed information please contact the authorities