Australians are being urged to stay alert after the Department of Home Affairs warned about a new scam involving people posing as Home Affairs officers and visiting homes.
The scammers reportedly carry fake identification and documents to make their visits appear official.
According to the department, the fake officers may ask residents to hand over personal information, identity documents, biometric data such as fingerprints or photographs, and even money or banking details.
Authorities stressed that these requests are part of a fraudulent scheme designed to steal sensitive information.
The Department of Home Affairs has made it clear that genuine Home Affairs officers do not visit homes to collect photographs, fingerprints, or other biometric information.
Anyone who receives an unexpected visit, phone call, email, or text message claiming to be from the department should treat it with caution.
Residents are advised not to provide personal or financial information, not to make any payments, and not to allow unknown people claiming to be government officials into their homes. Instead, they should verify the contact through official government channels.
The warning comes as scammers increasingly target multicultural communities by exploiting concerns about visas, immigration status, citizenship applications, and other government services.
Furthermore, officials are encouraging anyone who encounters suspicious activity to report it to Scamwatch and local authorities immediately.
