It’s been more than a week since the CrowdStrike outage created global tech headaches, including bringing down payment systems and disrupting flight plans.

While systems are up and running again, scammers have reportedly tried to take advantage of the situation. The National Anti-Scam Centre has warned about a scam that involves fraudsters calling, emailing or messaging people and telling them to install software patches.

If someone downloads the software, they can become vulnerable to someone else getting into their computer, including their bank accounts, the National Anti-Scam Centre said.

Another scam involves people calling and claiming to be from a bank or financial institution with offers to help following the CrowdStrike incident.

“Criminals look to take advantage of incidents like this CrowdStrike outage, creating a sense of urgency that you need to do what they say to protect your computer and your financial information,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC’s) deputy chair Catriona Lowe said.

“Anyone can be scammed, so it is important to be wary of any unsolicited contact that purports to provide assistance in the aftermath of a major event like this.”

Tips to avoid these scams

• Be wary of any calls, messages and emails asking you to download software.
• Double check who is contacting you by phoning the institution they claim to be from directly on their publicly-listed number.
• If you’ve been scammed, let your bank know as soon as possible.

Source: ACCC.