0425 205 996: Suspicious Call - Potential Scam Involving Identity Theft

• Scam

The phone number 0425 205 996 has been reported as suspicious, with claims of being from Optus. Learn how to manage calls from this number and protect your information.

Receiving a call from 0425 205 996? If you're in Australia, it's time to be cautious. The number has been tagged as suspicious, raising red flags among users who suspect it may be associated with identity theft or a scam.

According to user reports, one individual received a call from this number on 20 April 2023. Although they did not answer, a voice message was left claiming to be from Optus, urging the recipient to activate their account. What’s more concerning is that the message continued in Chinese, potentially alienating many English-speaking recipients.

This scenario closely resembles common tactics used by scam callers who impersonate legitimate companies. Their main objective? To extract personal information, which can lead to further fraudulent activities. This type of scam can leave individuals vulnerable, as scammers may employ engaging language or urgency, pressuring the recipient for immediate action.

• Identifying the Scam: The call purporting to be from Optus could indicate an identity theft attempt, particularly given their claim about needing to activate an account.
• Your First Line of Defence: If you receive a call from 0425 205 996 / 0425205996, it’s recommended to avoid answering it directly. Always let unknown numbers go to voicemail, just as the previous user did.
• How to Handle it: If a message sounds suspicious, do not provide personal information. Instead, directly contact your service provider using official channels to verify the legitimacy of any claims.

At Reverseau, we suggest performing a reverse phone lookup with services like Reverse Phone Lookup Australia to ascertain the identity of the caller if you interact with the phone number in any way. Keeping vigilant and sharing experiences with the community helps protect everybody from potential scams. Together, we can ensure that practices like these remain ineffective, giving power back to the everyday Australian consumer.