• What to do if you receive suspicious correspondence or calls claiming to be from TPG
• Scam Emails and Text Messages
• Scam Phone Calls
• Latest known scams
• Gambling Scam
• nbn® appointment scams
• Email closure phishing email
• “Hi mum” scam
• nbn® Robocaller Scam
• Flubot Scam
• COVID-19 Scams
• COVID-19 SMS Scam
• Wangiri Fraud (missed call scam)
• SMS Phishing Scam
• Fake TPG mail
• Scammers threatening Chinese communities in Australia
• Browser Pop Up Scam
• How to protect your device

What to do if you receive suspicious correspondence or calls claiming to be from TPG

If you receive a call, letter, email, text message or other communication that claims to be from TPG and you suspect it may be a scam or hoax, give us a call on 13 14 23.

Scam Emails and Text Messages

If you receive an email or text message that is unknown, unsolicited or you suspect to be fraudulent including messages with a one-time code that you didn’t initiate, this is what we advise:

• Don’t reply to the SMS or email
• Don’t provide any personal details
• Don’t click on any links
• Don’t open any attachments
• Don’t call any numbers associated with the SMS or email
• Don’t share any content of the SMS or email with anyone
• Email a screenshot of the message to customer_relations@tpg.com.au
• Report the email or SMS to Scamwatch
• Email customer_relations@tpg.com.au and provide a screenshot of the suspected fraud message, the date and time you received it, how many times you received it and your mobile number.

Scam Phone Calls

TPG only calls our customers from selected numbers. If you receive a phone call that you suspect is fraudulent, this is what we advise:

• Don’t give the caller any personal details and hang up
• Check that the call is coming from a number that’s not a number that we use.
• Block the caller/sender’s number using your phone’s built-in call rejection features or by downloading an app to restrict incoming calls and messages.
• Let the call go to voicemail and then listen to any message left to ascertain if this might be a genuine call. For more information on how to set up and manage voicemail, head to our support page.
• Report the call to Scamwatch
• Report the email or SMS to Scamwatch
• Email customer_relations@tpg.com.au and provide the date and time you received the call, how many calls you received in total and your mobile number

Latest known scams

Gambling Scam

We’ve seen an increase in scammers sending unsolicited messages posing as online gambling sites and casinos. These messages invite the recipient to click a link promising bonuses and the potential to win money.  While the website and SMS may look like it is from a gambling site, the websites are used to harvest personal information by requesting sign up information and banking credentials and may infect your device with malware.

If you receive an unsolicited SMS inviting you to a gambling site, do not click the link or provide personal information.

nbn® appointment scams

TPG is aware of a scam targeting customers relating to nbn faults or works in their area.

The scammers may contact consumers in person or over the phone to offer either a new nbn connection or support in setting up an existing connection. The scammers will then try to gain payment details or access computers either remotely or in person. Scammers may also send a fake SMS posing as TPG offering or confirming an nbn appointment.

TPG will never contact you and ask for your payment details relating to an nbn appointment or fault and will never request to access your computer or devices in person or ask you to load a website that gives them access remotely.

• If someone contacts you in person or over the phone and requests access to your computer or devices, close the door or hang up on them.
• If you are ever contacted by someone posing as TPG and you are uncomfortable or unsure if it is a scam, hang up and call us back on 13 14 23.
• If you ever receive an SMS from TPG confirming an nbn installation appointment that you haven’t requested, do not respond, and report it.
• Always request identification before allowing technicians to enter your home.
• Never allow anyone to access your personal computer or device either in person or over the phone.
• TPG technicians will never request payment or payment details from customers.

Report any suspicious behaviour to Scamwatch. If you think you have been a victim of fraud, or a scammer has gained access to your banking information contact your financial institution immediately.

Email closure phishing email

We are aware of a phishing campaign targeting TPG customers.
 
We may have emailed you recently, asking you to express interest in retaining the email account you hold with TPG. We have observed examples of scammers attempting to replicate these emails, with the intent to phish personal information from our customers.
 
TPG will not ask you to provide your My Account login details, personal information, or payment details as part of this campaign.

If you receive an email relating to this campaign with a link asking for your personal or TPG login information, please report it to us at customer_relations@tpg.com.au.

If you have clicked on a link and filled in your personal, TPG login, or payment information, please change any related passwords immediately and report this to scamwatch.gov.au. If you have been a victim of fraud, you should immediately contact your financial services provider.
 
For further support, please call us on 13 14 23.

“Hi mum” scam

Some of our customers have reported receiving WhatsApp or text messages from scammers alleging to be children in need of funds. The scammers are targeting parents and the messages generally start by claiming the child has lost or broken their phone, or it has been stolen so they insist the parent does not contact them on their old number. The messages will then develop into the scammer requesting money for things like bills or emergency funds as they have been locked out of their internet banking accounts.

If you receive an SMS or WhatsApp message from an unknown number asking for money or claiming to be a loved one, do not transfer any funds. If you are ever unsure of the legitimacy of a message, it’s always best to pick up the phone and contact the sender to be sure.

If you receive any SMS relating to this scam, please report it to Scamwatch.

nbn® Robocaller Scam

Some customers have reported receiving a call with a recorded message claiming to be nbn®, telling the customer that their account will be terminated.

If you receive a call like this:

• Do not confirm any personal information to the caller.
• Hang up the phone.
• Report the call to Scamwatch.

In the event of any legitimate service disconnections, you will receive at least 30 days' written notice from us.

For more scam and hoax information, monitor the Scamwatch website.

 

Flubot Scam

You may have recently received an SMS message, claiming that you have had a missed call or voicemail. These messages are generated by Malware called Flubot, which spreads via SMS messages and can infect customers with Android devices on any mobile network. We have also seen variants of the Flubot message, purporting to be from a courier service asking the end user to install a tracking app through a link which will infect the device with malware. If a user clicks the link and installs the app, the malware will take over the device and send texts to the infected user’s contacts.

Known examples include:

• I want to send you a voicemail on Zello! Click to download.
• my86 Your service provider zas sent you a nee notice: <LINK> 
• wfq5cm Voicemail: You have 1 new Voicemaill (s). Go to: <LINK>

If you receive an SMS like this:

• Do not click on the link.
• Report the SMS to Scamwatch.
• Delete the SMS a soon as possible.

It is important to point out that just because you have received the message, this does not mean your device has become infected.

If you click on the link, you will be taken to a web page that may look like a genuine site with branding that you are familiar with. You may be prompted to install an app, so you can listen to the voicemail message. If you give permission to install the app, the Flubot malware will be installed onto your device. The malware may be able to access your contacts list and access your personal information if you use your device while infected. You may also receive texts or calls from random numbers stating that you have sent them an SMS, which you will have no knowledge of.

What should you do if you have become infected?

If you have become infected, don’t enter any passwords or log into any accounts until you have cleaned your device using the below steps.

How to clean your device

Cleaning your device using the steps below will remove the malicious software from your device.

To clean your device, you can:

• contact an IT professional
• download official Android anti-virus software through the Google Play Store
• perform a factory reset of the device.

Performing a factory reset of your device will delete all of your data including photos, messages, and authentication applications.

At this time Apple devices are not affected, but we are aware that customers with Apple devices have been also receiving these Flubot messages.

For more information, head to the Scamwatch website.

 

COVID-19 Scams

Unfortunately, during these difficult times it is business as usual for fraudsters and scammers who are using the spread of COVID-19 to take advantage of people across the country. These scams can include spam messages impersonating the Government or the ATO, and there has also been an emergence of scams related to people’s superannuation.

You can find lots of useful information regarding the latest COVID-19 scams on the Scamwatch page.

If you receive any emails or messages that you think are suspicious, please report them to Scamwatch here.

 

COVID-19 SMS Scam

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS from a source claiming to be the ‘Australian Government Department of Health’ stating that ‘You’ve received a new message regarding the COVID-19 safetyline symptoms and when to get tested in your geographical area’.

This SMS contains a link to a fake government website.

This SMS was not sent by the Australian Government Department of Health. Please do not click on any link or reply to the SMS.

If you receive this SMS, please follow the below directions:

• Don’t reply to the SMS
• Don’t click on any links/attachments
• Report the email to Scamwatch

 

Wangiri Fraud (missed call scam)

Wangiri fraud is when you receive missed calls from international numbers you don’t recognise on either a mobile or a fixed-line phone. The fraudsters generating the missed calls hope that their expensive international numbers will be called back so that they can profit. This type of fraud is not specific to TPG and appears to be on the rise.

If you receive calls like this, be assured that you haven’t been specifically targeted. It’s likely that the fraudster has generated a missed call to a whole range of mobile numbers that happens to include yours.

What should you do if you get a suspected Wangiri call?

We recommend that you don’t return calls to international numbers that you don’t recognise. Calls to Wangiri numbers will often result in a charge being incurred and only encourages the fraudster to generate more missed calls to customers who choose to call back.

• Do not answer a call from an overseas number unless you recognise the number or are expecting the call.
• Do not return a call to an overseas number unless you recognise it.
• Do not give out any personal or business information such as banking or credit card details, pin numbers, birth dates or personal names and addresses.

If you think you’ve had a missed call from an international number that may be involved in this scam, let us know. Just send an email to customer_relations@tpg.com.au and provide us with your mobile number and the international number you received the nuisance call from plus the date & time of that call.

What’s being done to address this issue?

We proactively monitor our network for Wangiri activity and shut down new fraudulent international numbers and number ranges as we find them.

This is an issue affecting customers of mobile and fixed line operators around the globe, and we’re working with a number of different operators and industry groups to reduce Wangiri fraud levels.

 

SMS Phishing Scam

Some of our customers have reported receiving an SMS claiming to be from TPG, asking them to verify personal information. The message states you have ‘been selected as one of our lucky winners for a brand new iPhone’ and requests for you to reply to a number with your full birth date.
This message is not sent by TPG. Please do not reply to the message.

If you receive this message (or any other spam SMS), please follow the below directions:

• Email a screenshot of the message to customer_relations@tpg.com.au
• Don’t reply to the SMS
• Don’t provide any personal details
• Don’t click on any links
• Don’t call any numbers associated with the SMS
• Don’t share any content of the SMS with anyone
• Report the SMS to Scamwatch

 

Fake TPG mail

TPG are aware of an increase in falsified letters and statements from telecommunication companies. The falsified letters use the companies branding to appear legitimate and will be either sent via post or email.

The letters could be either a threatening invoice, request to update details or congratulate you on winning a prize. It will ask you to call a number or visit a website to update details, pay a sum of money or claim your prize.

If you receive any mail from TPG, whether it be paper or electronic, please ensure you do not follow any links to websites or call any numbers that are unfamiliar to you. If you receive a letter and suspect it may be a scam, please contact us on 13 14 23.

 

Scammers threatening Chinese communities in Australia

TPG is aware of a scam targeting our customers in Chinese communities. The calls are in Mandarin and the scammers are often posing as Chinese authorities.

The scammer will accuse the customer of either being directly involved in a crime relating to fake passports, or a victim who has had their bank details compromised. They will threaten the customer with jail time or deportation and will request the customer pay them in large sums of money to clear their name or have their issue investigated.

The scammers will try to intimidate the customer into either providing money or other personal details such as passport number. They do this using scare tactics in hope that the customer will not ask any questions and will instead provide requested details or pay them.

Once money has been paid to scammers, it is often unable to be recovered.

If you receive a call from someone threatening you with arrest or deportation in relation to fake passports, it is a scam. Do not send any money or provide any personal details. End the call immediately and report it to Scamwatch.

For further information, including information in Chinese languages, please visit the Scamwatch website.

 

Browser Pop Up Scam

TPG is aware of a current browser pop up scam that is targeting TPG customers.

The pop up asks you to click on a link to perform certain activities such as filling out a survey or choosing a gift box to win a “prize” (such as phones, electronic devices or accessories).

The link then directs you to a payment page where it requires you to pay small amount via credit card to redeem the “prize” or directs you to a page where you are required to enter your personal details or bank details.

TPG will never ask you to fill out forms with personal details to win a prize. If you are browsing the web and receive this pop up, please close the browser. If you have been a victim of this scam, please visit the Scamwatch website or call us on 13 14 23.

If you see this pop-up while browsing, please do the following:

• Close the browser
• Email a screenshot of the pop-up to customer_relations@tpg.com.au as well providing details of which website you were on when the pop-up occurred
• Don’t click on any links or fill in any details
• Report the email to Scamwatch

 

How to protect your device

Here are some ways to protect your device:

• Make sure to use strong PINs and passwords and change them regularly. Avoid easy to guess PINs and passwords like ‘1234’, ‘0000’ and ‘password’.
• Lock your mobile handset and voicemail with strong PINs.
• Think carefully before clicking on a link or opening suspicious emails and attachments.
• Pay attention to your app permissions (what your apps are allowed to do and access, e.g. location, call history, etc). Only allow necessary permissions.

 

• Cancelling your mobile or phone service
• More information
• How much will it cost to close my account?
• How will I be charged on my final invoice?
• Once my account is closed, how can I get my invoice?
• Once my account is closed, will I be able to access My Account?
• Can I close an account if I’m not the account holder?

Cancelling your mobile or phone service

Before cancelling your mobile or phone service, please call us on 1300 993 019. We can help check if there's a better plan for your needs, resolve any service issues, and confirm if any costs or credits apply to a cancellation.

Important: If you want to move your phone number to another provider, you must contact your new provider and organise the transfer before you cancel because a cancelled number can't be transferred. You can only do this if the account holder of the phone service with TPG and your new provider are the same person.

Need your TPG account number? You'll find it on your TPG invoice or in My Account.

 

More information

How much will it cost to close my account?

If you cancel your service or change providers before your service contract is complete, you may incur a contract break fee. We can tell you if a contract break fee applies when you call us, or you can look up the fee in the Service Description and Terms for your service.

 

How will I be charged on my final invoice?

After your service is disconnected, your final invoice will be emailed to the account holder shortly before the end of your billing period, around the same time each month as all of your previous TPG invoices. If you don’t get your final invoice, give us a call on 13 14 23.

Please note that if you choose to cancel your service, the monthly charge for your current billing cycle will not be refunded.

If any charges are due on your final invoice, such as a contract break fee, they can be paid in the same way you usually pay your TPG invoices.

 

Once my account is closed, how can I get my invoice?

You won’t be able to get your invoices through My Account after your TPG account is cancelled. You can download your TPG invoice from the email sent to the account holder for up to 90 days after the email was sent.

 

Once my account is closed, will I be able to access My Account?

No, you won’t be able to access My Account.

 

Can I close an account if I’m not the account holder?

Only the account holder may close an account, unless you have Power of Attorney and want to act on behalf of the account holder. Learn more.

• How to make a complaint
• We’re here to help
• What happens when we get your complaint
• How your complaint will be escalated
• Urgent Complaints
• Ways you can monitor your complaint
• When a complaint is resolved
• Further options for external dispute resolution
• Print a copy of this policy
• Whistleblower Policy

How to make a complaint

You can contact us to make a complaint using one of these methods:

Tech Support for help with your TPG services

• Phone: 13 14 23
• Open hours: 8am - 10pm, Mon-Fri; 9am - 9pm, Weekends & Public Holidays (AET)

Customer Service for help with your TPG account and billing

• Phone: 13 14 23
• Open hours: 8am - 8pm, Mon-Fri; 9am - 6pm, Weekends & Public Holidays (AET)

If your complaint isn’t resolved by Tech Support or Customer Service, you can ask to be referred to Customer Relations or email them directly.

Customer Relations

• Email: customer_relations@tpg.com.au
• Open hours: 9am – 5:30pm, 7 days (AET)

Don’t have access to phone or email? Complaints can also be mailed to PO BOX 2580, Kingston Delivery Centre, Kingston, TAS 7050.

Please note: Make sure you include your current contact details – if we can’t reach you over phone or email with the details we have on file, we’ll have to contact you in writing. You’ll have 10 business days to respond before your complaint will be closed.

 

We’re here to help

Please let us know if you need help understanding this process or help making or progressing a complaint.

You may nominate an authorised representative or advocate to make a complaint and deal with us on your behalf. To protect your privacy, you must give us your permission (over the phone or in writing) to speak with your authorised representative or advocate about your complaint.

If English isn’t your first language, you may use language interpreter services to contact us instead of nominating an authorised representative or advocate. Please note you may incur fees from any third-party services you hire to help you.

Do you have a hearing or speech impairment? You can contact us through the National Relay Service.

If you have other special needs, please let us know and we’ll help you where we can.

If you are suffering financial hardship, our Financial Hardship Policy will explain how we can help you.

 

What happens when we get your complaint

We’ll acknowledge your complaint and give you a reference number immediately, if you contacted us by phone. If you contacted us by any other means, we’ll give you a reference number within 2 business days for general complaints, or within 1 business day for Urgent Complaints.

If you believe your complain is urgent, see Urgent Complaints.

We’ll aim to investigate your complaint and give you written confirmation of the proposed resolution within 5 business days, or within 15 business days if the complaint involves complex matters. If you have an Urgent Complaint, we will aim to do this within 2 business days.

Note: If your complaint is about alleged billing errors, we’ll resolve your complaint before the end of your next billing cycle.

Your written confirmation of the proposed resolution will include the date the resolution was implemented, if accepted. You may request this written confirmation at any time, and we’ll provide it within 5 business days.

If we reasonably believe that you’re your complaint will take longer than these timeframes, we’ll contact you directly to discuss the reasons for the delay and advise a new timeframe. If the delay is expected to be longer than 10 working days, we’ll advise your options for external dispute resolution such as the TIO. If a complaint is indicative of broader problem or systemic issue, we’ll seek to resolve its main cause.

Complaints will be classified into one of the following categories:

• Billing - for complaints about any fees or charges on your invoice, including international roaming and excess usage.
• Customer Service - for complaints about the service you receive from us, including incorrect information, lack of ownership, failure to escalate, no callback and call wait times.
• Faulty Service - for complaints about faulty services including delays, process disputes, and services not cancelled.
• Provisioning - for complaints about the connection, relocation or delivery of services, including hardware, infrastructure, delays and missed appointments.
• Speed - for complaints about speed issues and congestion.

 

How your complaint will be escalated

If your complaint isn’t resolved the first time, it will be escalated to a supervisor or team manager. If they can’t help, Customer Relations will take over management of your complaint.

If you’re not happy with the progress or proposed resolution of your complaint, you can ask for your complaint to be escalated at any time. You can also ask about your options for external dispute resolution.

If you tell us that you’re not happy with the response times for handling your complaint, we’ll explain our escalation processes and advise your options for external dispute resolution (such as the TIO) within 5 working days.

 

Urgent Complaints

Please tell us if your complaint is urgent. A complaint is considered Urgent if:

• You’ve asked to be assessed (or have been approved) for financial hardship assistance and the nature of your complaint will worsen that hardship;
• disconnection of your service is imminent or has already occurred and due process was not followed; or
• your complaint is about a service or situation that is dangerous to you or others.

For more info about financial hardship assistance, see our Financial Hardship Policy.

We don’t offer Priority Assistance or support for medi-alert services and monitored alarm systems. Priority Assistance is offered by Telstra for people who may rely on a telephone service because of a serious medical condition. If you have a medi-alert or Priority Assistance service or believe that you are eligible, please consider this before ordering TPG services.

For the timeframes that apply to Urgent Complaints, see What happens when we get your complaint.

If your complaint isn’t considered urgent based on the above criteria and you reasonably believe it should be, please let us know. We’ll explain our escalation processes and advise your options for external dispute resolution (such as the TIO) within 2 working days.

 

Ways you can monitor your complaint

We’ll keep you updated about your complaint and if there’s a delay, we’ll give you a timeframe for resolution as soon as practical. You can also ask us for an update at any time by calling or emailing us with your reference number.

If your complaint has been escalated to Customer Relations, they’ll also give you their direct contact details.

 

When a complaint is resolved

We’ll confirm the outcome of your complaint over the phone or in writing (email) as soon as possible. Please tell us how you’d like us to contact you when you make your complaint. If you ask for written confirmation of the resolution, we’ll send it to you within 5 business days.

We can’t go ahead with any proposed resolution until you’ve accepted it. Once you’ve accepted a resolution, we’ll take all reasonable actions to implement it within 10 business days (or within 2 business days for Urgent Complaints), unless you’ve agreed to another timeframe. The resolution may be delayed if it needs you to complete an action that you haven’t done yet.

We won’t close your complaint without your consent, unless your complaint has already been escalated within TPG and:

• you’ve told us that you’re not happy with the progress or resolution of your complaint and we’ve told you about your options for external dispute resolution such as the TIO; or
• we’ve been unable to contact you for more than 10 business days after trying to contact you in writing; or
• we reasonably believe that your complaint or behaviour is frivolous or vexatious and within 5 business days of reaching this view, we’ve told you that we won’t deal with your complaint (and why) and explained your options for external dispute resolution. If you ask for written confirmation of this view, we’ll send it to you within 5 business days.

 

Further options for external dispute resolution

Most complaints can be handled by us with a fair and efficient outcome for everyone involved.
 
If you’ve given us an opportunity to resolve your complaint but remain dissatisfied after it has been escalated within TPG, you can seek advice from the external organisations listed below. Additionally, you may refer your complaint to the Telecommunications Industry Ombudsman (TIO) for dispute resolution at no cost.
 
To find out more about how the TIO can assist you, you can visit the TIO's webpage 'What we can help with' or contact the TIO:

• Phone - 1800 062 058
• Online - 'Online complaint form' webpage
• Email - tio@tio.com.au
• Post - PO Box 276, Collins Street West, VIC 8007
• Fax - 1800 630 614
• Access using a language interpreter, Auslan interpreter or the National Relay Service - 'Interpreters and accessibility' webpage."

The following organisations are also available to help:

• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): Privacy complaints PH: 1300 363 992
• Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ScamWatch): Scam complaints (online form available through the link)
• Australian Financial Complaints Authority: Sold debt payment and insurance disputes PH: 1800 931 678
• eSafety Commissioner: Online Safety complaints

Need this information in another language? Please ask for a referral to our Customer Relations team.

 

Print a copy of this policy

You can download and print our Complaint Handling Policy Print PDF for your own records.

To view PDF files, install Adobe Reader on your computer, tablet or phone.

 

Whistleblower Policy

At TPG, we’re strongly committed to fostering a culture where you feel safe to speak up about matters that concern you or if you suspect something is not right. Our whistleblowing program encourages and provides an avenue for all employees, suppliers and business partners to act if you have concerns about illegal, unethical or improper conduct.

Read through our Whistleblower Policy for more information.

• How to log in to My Account
• What you can do in My Account
• Manage your TPG account
• Manage your TPG Phone service
• Manage your TPG internet and other services
• Log out

How to log in to My Account

1. Go to My Account at: https://www.tpg.com.au/myaccount - or just hit the My Account button on the TPG website.

2. Log in with the username and password for your TPG account. You'll find your username on emails from us about your TPG order, or your TPG invoice.
   
   Forgotten your TPG password? You can reset it at: https://tpg.com.au/password.

3. A one-time passcode will be sent to the mobile number listed in your account’s contact details - just enter this passcode to finish logging in.
   
   If you can't log in or get your one-time passcode, please contact us. We can help you access your TPG account after an ID check.

 

What you can do in My Account

Manage your TPG account

My Account gives you the following options to keep your TPG account information up-to-date:

• Update Contact & Payment Details - Update your contact details or payment details.
• Plan & Contract Details - Check you TPG plan and contract.
• Check your Current Balance - See if there's an amount owing on your TPG account or make a payment.
• Check your Account Usage - Check your internet usage (not available for unlimited data plans).
• Change Your Password - Change the password you use to log into your TPG account.
• Your Invoices - Get a copy of any of your TPG invoices.
• Your Account Statement - Check your TPG account statement for the last 3 months.
• Your Account Statement Current Financial Year - Check your TPG account statement for the current financial year.
• Your Account Statement Last Financial Year - Check your TPG account statement for the last financial year.
• Cancel your service - Request to cancel your TPG service.

 

Manage your TPG Phone service

If you have a TPG Phone service, you can use My Account to:

• Check your call history
• Change your home phone number
• Top up your phone prepayment
• Turn phone features such as Call Waiting on or off

 

Manage your TPG internet and other services

If you have a TPG internet service, you can use My Account to:

• Change your internet plan
• Move your internet service to a new address
• Check the status of your internet order
• Switch to Home Wireless Broadband (if available)

If you have any TPG hosting services, you'll also see options to manage these services. Learn more.

 

Log out

The logout button is in the top right-hand corner of the screen. It's important that you log out once you're done if you're using a public computer, like the ones at libraries, or any device that you share with another person.