Phony AU

NBN scam calls: "your internet will be disconnected"

6 min read

"This is nbn co. Your internet is going to be disconnected in the next 24 hours unless you act now." It's one of the most-reported phone scams in Australia and it disproportionately targets older Australians who installed home internet years ago and aren't sure how it actually works. Here's the full anatomy of the scam, plus the single most important fact about nbn co that ends every variant: they don't call you.

nbn co does not cold-call customers. Ever.

This is the single most important sentence in this whole guide. nbn co (the wholesale fibre network operator) does not have a direct relationship with you, and they do not call retail customers. Your relationship is with your retail service provider (Telstra, Optus, TPG, Aussie Broadband, Superloop, MyRepublic, etc.), and even they only call you about a billing matter or a scheduled installation you booked in advance.

So if anyone says "I'm calling from NBN" and you didn't book an installation, it's a scam. There is no "NBN technical support team" that proactively monitors your line. The wholesale-retail split makes that conversation literally impossible.

The disconnection-threat script

The pattern is usually:

  1. A pre-recorded voice or live caller says they're from NBN.
  2. They claim there's been "suspicious activity" on your line, "fraud detected on your account", or "your service will be disconnected in 24 hours due to a system upgrade".
  3. To "fix" it, they ask you to press 1 or stay on the line to speak to a "technician".
  4. The technician asks you to download remote-access software like AnyDesk, TeamViewer or UltraViewer "so we can run diagnostics on your computer".
  5. Once they have remote access, they open your bank's website (already logged in, since most browsers remember sessions), and either move money or capture credentials for later.
  6. Variant: they may also ask you to buy gift cards "to verify your identity". The cards never come back.

The remote-access pivot is what makes this scam particularly dangerous. By the time the victim realises what's happening, the scammer has already moved money out of the account.

Other NBN scam flavours

How to handle a suspected NBN scam call

  1. Hang up. Don't engage. Real businesses are happy to be re-called.
  2. Don't press any keys on a robocall, even "press 9 to be removed". It just confirms your line is live.
  3. Never install remote-access software at the request of an unsolicited caller. AnyDesk, TeamViewer, UltraViewer, and Quick Assist are the most-abused tools; legitimate IT support will never ask you to install them via a cold call.
  4. If you've engaged with one, immediately disconnect the device from the internet (turn off Wi-Fi or unplug the ethernet cable), call your bank, and run a malware scan. Consider a full factory reset if the scammer touched a banking session.
  5. Ring your retail provider directly on the number from a recent bill if you want to verify there's no genuine issue. There almost never is.

How to verify a real NBN matter

Genuine work that involves your premises (installations, drop-cable replacements, FTTP upgrades) is always coordinated through your retail provider. The flow is:

  1. Your retailer (Telstra/Optus/etc.) emails or SMSes you to book a window.
  2. You book the appointment yourself through your account portal.
  3. An nbn technician arrives in branded clothing and a nbn-branded vehicle, with photo ID.
  4. The technician never asks for your bank details, your retailer login, or remote access to your computer.

If the appointment didn't start with you booking it on your retailer's account, it isn't real.

How to report it

The single sentence to remember: nbn co doesn't call retail customers. Once you've internalised that, every NBN scam call falls apart in the first ten seconds.