According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams in 2023. With cybercrime always a threat, it’s important to know what to look out for and what to do if you’re scammed.
Scam awareness
Your safety is our priority: How to protect yourself from scams
Report a scam
To gain your trust, scammers may pretend to be from Allianz. If you believe you’ve interacted with a scam relating to Allianz, call us on 13 1000 or send us an email.
If you’re worried that your personal details are at risk, consider these actions:
- Change your passwords
- Check your bank accounts for any suspicious activity
- Tell relevant contacts, such as joint account holders or your workplace
Password security
To help keep your details safe, we use two-factor authentication (2FA) codes. Each time you log in to My Allianz, you can request a code by email or text (SMS). We’ll send it to the details we have on file for you. Make sure you keep your contact details up to date.
- Never share your codes or passwords with anyone
- Don’t accept any 2FA requests if you didn’t initiate them
- Stay alert to scams and be wary of unexpected callers
- We’ll never ask you for your codes or passwords
If you receive an unexpected 2FA request on your Allianz account, call us on 13 1000 right away.
How to spot a scam
Scammers aim to find ways to get your personal details, and they can be convincing. Here are some examples.
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Email scams
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Phone and SMS scams
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Repairer scams
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Claim farming
Email scams
Phishing emails aim to trick you into giving the scammer your personal details. They may ask you to click on links to fake websites or download malicious software.
What to watch out for
- A strange web address (URL) when you hover your cursor over a link in the email
- Instructions to click on links or download attachments
- Attempts to rush, scare, or entice you
- Incorrect or outdated branding or spelling
- Lookalike email addresses or display names that impersonate Allianz. For example, these aren't genuine Allianz email addresses:
✘ allianz@itserviceclaimssupportpayment.com
✘ dylan@allianz.sydney
✘ dylan@allianzau.com
Genuine Allianz email addresses include:
✓ @allianz.com.au
✓ @allianz.com
✓ @allianz-assistance.com.au
✓ @allianzretireplus.com.au
Known email scams
Fake Allianz investment products:
scammers promoting a non-existent bond using counterfeit materials. These emails aren’t associated with Allianz.
False claims based on current events:
scammers may send false information about bushfires, floods and other catastrophes. They aim to deceive and exploit vulnerable people who may have genuine claims with us. These emails may ask for personal information, passwords, bank details, or demand an urgent payment.
What to do if you receive a scam email
If you receive a scam email, delete it. If you’re worried about your Allianz account, call us on 13 1000 or send us an email right away.
Phone and SMS scams
Scammers may pretend to be from companies you know and trust. They may call you or send a text message (SMS) asking for your details.
What to watch out for
- An unexpected caller or text asking you to confirm your personal information
- Someone asking you to make an urgent payment
- An SMS with suspicious links.
- An SMS or phone call that threatens you in some way if you don’t do what they’re telling you to do.
Known phone and SMS scams
- SMS: Scammers may send text messages asking for payments (for example $200) to avoid debt recovery action. These messages may include details about your workplace or Allianz Insurance you’ve bought. They may ask you to click links or call phone numbers that aren’t anything to do with us.
- Phone calls: Scammers may pretend to be from Allianz. They may ask you to:
- Verify or update your details or they’ll cancel your policy
- Give access to your computer
- Provide your bank details, personal information, or your password
- Download an app on your device
- Transfer money to avoid consequences such as debt recovery, or cancelled policies or cancelled payouts
What to do if you receive a phone or SMS scam
If you receive a scam call or SMS, hang up or delete it. If you’re worried about your Allianz account, call us on 13 1000 or send us an email right away.
Repairer scams
These scams involve unauthorised businesses or people contacting you to repair your vehicle. Under the terms of your Allianz Car Insurance policy, we’ll authorise repairs as part of our claims process. To avoid these scams, don’t sign any repair documents without talking to us first.
What to watch out for
- Unknown contacts: people or repairers contacting you about your claim, where you’re unsure if they’re from Allianz.
- Unauthorised documents: documents approving repairs, storage, quotes, or other vehicle repair information.
- Incorrect Allianz contacts: websites or phone numbers that may not be correct for Allianz.
Here’s how we’ll handle your claim
If a scammer targets you, understanding our claims process may help you spot that something’s not right.
- Once you’ve reported the accident to us and we’ve accepted your claim, we’ll talk through the repair options with you.
- When you lodge your claim, you can choose one of our Selected Repairers for fast, high-quality service. Or choose your own repairer.1
- We may also pay you the reasonable cost of repairs or your car’s agreed or market value.
Known repairer scams
- Unauthorised charges: this involves third-party businesses asking you to sign repair documents. They might ask you to approve storage costs, admin fees, or other costs that your policy may not cover.
Fake Allianz website listings: third-party businesses misrepresenting themselves as Allianz in search results. For example, you may see results for “Allianz claims” or “Allianz car insurance claims”. In fake listings, these links may take you to non-Allianz call centres or websites that ask you for personal information.
We strongly recommend you check website details carefully and only click on links with the official Allianz domain.
To help you spot scam websites, here are some examples.
What to do if you receive a repairer scam
If you’re contacted by a repairer scam, call us on 13 1000 or send us an email right away.
Claim farming
Claim farming misleads claimants into believing they’ll receive large payouts. In reality, they may not have a genuine claim and may face hefty fees.
To find claimants, a ‘claim farmer’ may use cold calling, email, social media messaging, or ads on websites. They aim to get personal details that they can sell for a fee or use to make fraudulent claims.
To find out more, read our article What is claim farming? Here’s what you need to know.
Your privacy is important
It’s common for scammers to use a technique called social engineering to find your personal information. This involves a scammer searching the internet to find personal details about you. Then they may use these details to contact you and try to gain your trust.
We don’t disclose your personal information unless legally required to do so. For more information, visit our Privacy Policy page.
How to check your Allianz contact is genuine
We may call you to talk about your policy or insurance refund. When we call, we might need to ask you for some information to verify your identity. That’s how we make sure we’re speaking to the right person.
If you’re unsure about the caller, you can call us back to make sure you’re talking to us. Remember, we’ll never ask you for your 2FA codes or passwords.
To find the right contact number for your query, visit our Contact us page.
Resources
To find out more about scams, or get further support, visit the following websites:
eSafety
eSafety is Australia’s independent regulator for online safety. It helps Australians stay safe online.
Scamwatch
Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), can help you spot, avoid, and report scams.
IDCARE
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. If you’re worried about any misuse of your online identity, IDCARE can help you.
We're here to help
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*Conditions apply
- If you choose your own repairer, we may need a second quote from another repairer chosen by us just to make sure the quote you've received is reasonable. We may then authorise repairs, pay you reasonable repair costs or the car’s agreed value or replace your new car where policy conditions are met.
Allianz acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work across Australia. We pay our respect to First Nations Elders past and present.
Any advice here does not take into account your individual objectives, financial situation or needs. Terms, conditions, limits, and exclusions apply. Before making a decision about this insurance, consider the relevant Product Disclosure Statement (PDS)/Policy Wording and Supplementary PDS (if applicable). Where applicable, the PDS/Policy Wording, Supplementary PDS and Target Market Determination (TMD) for this insurance are available on this website. We do not provide any form of advice if you call us to enquire about or purchase a product.
Allianz Australia Insurance Limited ABN 15 000 122 850 AFS Licence No. 234708 is the insurer of any general insurance products offered, and Allianz Australia Life Insurance Limited ABN 27 076 033 782 AFS Licence No. 296559 is the insurer of any life insurance products offered. Each entity is responsible for any statements and representations made about its products, on this website.