Email and Internet Scams

A person seeking assistance from the internet with regard to Australian immigration should exercise caution because there are countless scams being done through email on the internet. These scams can occur through telephone, post or email. While it is easy to identify many of these scams, there is considerable difficulty in the identification of all of them.

Today, creation of professional-looking websites by criminals is one of the most widespread activities which take place on the internet. These websites are created for the purpose of collecting personal information which can be used to commit fraud and even identity theft.

Protecting Yourself from Email and Internet Scams

Here are a few tips of which can help you to prevent being cheated:

• Check the website address. All the URLs of Australian Government websites end with “gov.au”
• It is possible to trace any applications which are processed by the support of the Australian Immigration Department, hence it is always advisable to route the application through this website
• Be careful about divulging private information unless you can see that the website is secure. This is shown by a padlock icon on the browser. A secure URL will always start with “https://”
• Visit the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission website where there is information to be found on the latest scams
• If you search for a registered migration agent, please use the links found on the Register of Migration Agents

Red Flag Alerts

You should be wary when the following are observed:

• An email is sent from a free mail address such as Gmail, Yahoo or Hotmail
• You receive an email which you did not ask for. Never click on the links provided in such emails
• An email is received addressing you as “Dear Customer” and not by your name, asking for personal information
• You receive an email from a pretty woman asking for money to help her visit you in Australia
• There are a number of ‘gold/romance’ scams being committed from Africa which will put forth a business proposal to you offering you huge sums of money

Imitation Australian Government Websites

There are several websites designed to look like the real thing but they have no connection with the Australian Government whatsoever. These websites may not be indulging in fraud but it is possible that they will overcharge you for services rendered. You might end up parting with your hard-earned money for nothing in return as these websites do not have any extra influence on the decisions regarding the immigration matters of individuals with the Australian Government. There is every possibility that the application might get rejected and the immigration department will be unable to provide any update or support in connection with applications submitted using such a site. There is only one official website of the Australian Immigration Department which is www.immi.gov.au.