'It's an emergency - I need your help!' The alarming 'new and emerging' text message scam being sent to thousands of Australians tricking them into calling mystery numbers
- Alarming text message scam is being sent to thousands of Australian phones
- The messages have been described as a 'new and emerging issue' by authorities
- Phone users told to call the number back, and at first only here 'hello' and 'OK'
- But the recording soon turns abusive with the unwitting respondent sworn at
An alarming text message scam is being sent to thousands of Australians - enticing them to call the number back before barraging them with verbal abuse.
The messages, which have been called a 'new and emerging issue' by authorities, usually start with something someone saying 'please call me back right away', according to Scamwatch.
'It is an emergency I need your help!' the message often goes onto say.
An alarming text message scam (pictured) is being sent to thousands of Australians - enticing them to call the number back before barraging them with verbal abuse
Scamwatch said when people return the call, they are met with a recorded message starting with 'hello' and 'OK'.
But the recording soon turns abusive, with the unwitting phone user sworn at from the other end of the line.
'While people have not yet reported losing money as a result of these calls, you may find the content of the recording distressing,' the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission body said.
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Richmond Police District in New South Wales' Northern Rivers region said they received a report of a Ballina resident returning one of the messages.
The resident called the number provided and was sworn at 'for well over five minutes', a police spokesman said.
Police said they tried calling the same number but it would not accept private calls.
Scamwatch said when people returned the call they were met with a recorded message starting with 'hello' and 'OK' (text message pictured)
'It may be a childish prank or a way of collecting mobile phone numbers,' the district's social media account said.
Other social media users said they had received similar messages.
One person said their son had the message but did not call back as he didn't recognise the number.
Another said they 'got a good laugh out of it' when they rang the number.
Richmond Police District in New South Wales' Northern Rivers region said they received a report of a Ballina resident returning one of the messages and being sworn at for more than five minutes
