SCAM ALERT: Government Officer Impersonated - 12 April 2013

A licence applicant recently informed the Department they were contacted by someone impersonating a Consumer Protection licensing officer.

The caller, who appears to have contacted the applicant as a result of the ‘notification of intention to apply for a licence’ published in The West Australian newspaper, requested personal information including his Medicare number, driver’s licence number and mother’s maiden name.

Personal details of this kind can be used by potential scammers to gain access to your financial information and other confidential material. Such ‘identity theft’ is a growing problem in the community.

The Department does not require details of the kind requested to assess a licence application; it only requires the personal information referred to on the Application Form.

The Department strongly recommends you do not provide personal information to unknown callers. If you are requested to provide information by email, details should only be sent to addresses ending in “@demirs.wa.gov.au”. You should always type in the address rather than clicking on a link as fraudsters can manipulate them.

If you recently applied for a licence and have been asked for additional personal information, please call Consumer Protection Licensing on 1300 30 40 64 or email.

If you received a phone message requesting you to call back and are unsure whether the Officer is from Consumer Protection, use the contact details noted in the paragraph above rather than any method provided in the message.