Telstra's Scam Protect Service Stops Annoying Telemarketers

Telstra Introduces Scam Protect: A New Feature to Combat Phone Scams

In a bid to keep customers better protected, Telstra has launched a new feature called Telstra Scam Protect. This innovative service, introduced in 2024, alerts users about potential fraud, spoofed numbers, or suspicious calling patterns in real-time.

The feature works by displaying messages on devices, such as "Warning: potential fraud", "Warning: suspicious calling pattern", or "Unverified: overseas call". These messages help users make informed decisions about which calls to answer and which to let go to voicemail.

For instance, the message "Unverified: overseas call" is displayed for calls deemed suspicious that appear to be from a local number but are detected as coming from overseas. Similarly, the message "Warning: suspicious calling pattern" indicates a high volume of incoming traffic from a single number, potentially associated with spam.

While Telstra blocks more than 11 million scam calls on average every month, some malicious calls can still slip through. This is why it's crucial for everyone to stay alert and play their part in combatting scammers.

Since the end of December 2024, Telstra Scam Protect warning messages have been applied to over 10 million calls. The feature is now available to all Telstra's retail and wholesale services, including Boost Mobile, Belong, and others.

Telstra Scam Protect is one of several recent initiatives to help protect customers from scams. Another initiative is Device Security Essentials, a free feature in the MyTelstra App, which helps protect devices from online threats, powered by McAfee.

However, cyber criminals adapt their techniques to evade detection and appear legitimate, with the goal of persuading users to hand over information or money. This is why Telstra needs to be careful not to unintentionally block genuine communications while blocking millions of scam calls.

Telstra's initiatives, such as Scam Protect and Scam Indicator (developed in collaboration with Quantium Telstra, Telstra, and CBA), are part of a collective effort to protect customers from fraudulent calls and identity theft.

Phone scams accounted for the highest overall financial losses among all contact methods in 2024, with AUD107.2 million reported lost. By staying vigilant and taking advantage of these protective measures, customers can help reduce their risk of falling victim to these scams.