Scam alert - No Interest Loans Scheme
The Department of Social Services is aware of unauthorised websites and social media accounts containing false information about the national No Interest Loans Scheme (NILS).
NILS is delivered in collaboration with Good Shepherd and the National Australia Bank.
The unauthorised websites may appear as search results through web browsers, and some are posing as Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand (GSANZ) or NILS community providers.
Some of these websites have hyperlinked information about loans of up to $20,000 through the NILS program and provide inaccurate information on NILS loan limits and repayments, and asks individuals to provide their myGov and/or bank account sign in details as part of the ‘loan application’ process.
NILS staff will never:
- Contact an individual via social media. If an individual has contacted Good Shepherd through the chat function they will only provide general information about how to apply for a NILS loan
- Ask an individual for sensitive financial information such as online banking passwords or codes
- Ask an individual for their login to online banking through a link sent via text or email
- Ask an individual for their myGov and/or bank account login and password details
- Ask an individual to download software
- Ask an individual to transfer money
- Ask an individual to set up a bank account with a specific provider to have money transferred.
What to do if an individual is contacted by a scam attempt
If an individual is contacted by one of these scams, they should not provide personal or financial information.
Report it to Good Shepherd Australia New Zealand by sending screenshots and details to: communications@goodshep.org.au
For the Department of Social Services, report it to fraud@dss.gov.au
Further advice on scams is available from the National Anti-Scam Centre: Scamwatch.
If an individual has been scammed they should consider the following actions:
- Block all contact from the scammer
- Call their bank and/or financial institution as soon as possible to let them know about the scam
- Create new passwords
- Take steps to secure personal identity documents
- Watch for suspicious contact such as emails, phone calls, texts, or messages through social media and do not click on any links sent to individuals
- Monitor their bank account for unauthorised transactions
- Report to Scamwatch
- If the scam is an advertisement, report it to the social media platform using their ad settings button
- Report it to the police.