MELBOURNE: NBN Co is warning about scam calls purporting to be from the company, with more than $320,000 lost from January to June this year.

The wholesaler seeks to educate Australians about NBN-themed scams, which are among the most common reported to Scamwatch.

More than 2300 of these were reported in the first six months of 2020, including the prolific “Nicole from NBN” robocall threatening to cut off service, which has been joined by a second automated “Carol” voice; fraudulent invoices being sent to residents after upgrades were offered by phone; and ploys to allow scammers unmonitored remote access to computers by urging customers to leave or cover their screens to avoid “harmful radiation”.

“Scammers are increasingly using trusted brands like NBN to trick unsuspecting consumers into parting with their money or personal information,” said Delia Rickard, deputy chair of the ACCC.