Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?
Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteWindows Errors? Fix Them Before They Spread
Repair common Windows errors and clear accumulated junk for a smoother, more stable PC - no reinstall needed.Free scan · no reinstallShort answer: The “new” Optus email scam was a February 2019 campaign, not a newly confirmed 2026 incident. Fraudulent messages impersonated Optus, sometimes appearing to come from @optusnet.com.au accounts, and used links, ZIP archives, JavaScript or VBS scripts, and macro-enabled documents to deliver malware. Do not open the attachment, download the file or follow the link simply because the sender appears familiar.
PerthNow reported the campaign on February 14, 2019, after MailGuard identified multiple waves of fake Optus messages. The reports establish malicious delivery methods, but not that every recipient was infected, that every sample used one malware family or that the campaign was ransomware.
What happened in the 2019 Optus email scam
The campaign sent short, often plain-text emails that looked like routine business correspondence. Themes included invoices, remittance advice, insurance certificates, accident or application documents, police-check paperwork and requests to review a document.
MailGuard said it detected one campaign on February 8, 2019, although messages may have started earlier. PerthNow reported that there could have been at least five versions. Follow-up MailGuard reports described related waves during February, March and April 2019.
Recommended Free Tools
#1 Best Overall
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The Security Key C NFC is the essential physical passkey for protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts.
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single Security Key C NFC secures 100 of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more.
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your Security Key C NFC via USB-C and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC) to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required.
- TRUSTED PASSKEY TECHNOLOGY: Uses the latest passkey standards (FIDO2/WebAuthn & FIDO U2F) but does not support One-Time Passwords. For complex needs, check out the YubiKey 5 Series.
- BUILT TO LAST: Made from tough, waterproof, and crush-resistant materials. Manufactured in Sweden and programmed in the USA with the highest security standards.
The original news report is available from PerthNow.
How the messages delivered malware
The delivery method changed between versions. A typical chain was a trusted brand, a plausible document request, a link or archive, and then a script or macro that could run malicious code.
| Delivery method | What MailGuard reported |
|---|---|
| ZIP attachment or download | Archives containing malicious VBS or JavaScript files. |
| Cloud-hosted document | Links to Google Docs-hosted Word documents containing macros. |
| Fake invoice page | A related Optus invoice campaign used an obfuscated JavaScript file that installed a Trojan designed to steal personal information. |
| Password-protected archive | Some emails supplied the ZIP password, making the message look more legitimate and complicating automated scanning. |
These were related campaigns rather than proof of one uniform payload. The reporting does not establish that every recipient who opened a message was infected or that all versions stole data.
Rank #2
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5 NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5 NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5 NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
Technical details appear in MailGuard’s reports on multiple malicious emails from compromised Optus accounts, the continuing spoofing campaign, the password-protected ZIP variant and the related invoice campaign.
Why an Optusnet sender address was not proof
A sender address can be deceptive in several ways:
- Spoofing: the message is made to appear as if it came from a particular address.
- Compromised account: attackers send through an Optusnet mailbox they have accessed.
- Lookalike domain: the address uses a similar but different domain.
- Display-name deception: “Optus” is shown as the name while the underlying address is unrelated.
MailGuard said many samples appeared to originate from compromised Optusnet accounts. That does not mean Optus sent the messages, that Optus’s corporate network was breached or that every address displaying the domain was compromised. Scamwatch explains that scammers can spoof an organisation’s address in its email-scam guidance.
Warning signs to check before clicking
- An unexpected invoice, payment request, application or document.
- Generic wording instead of your name or normal account details.
- Poor grammar, odd punctuation or unnatural phrasing. (Good grammar is not proof of safety.)
- A link presented as an attachment, or a destination that does not match the claimed organisation when you hover over it.
- A password-protected ZIP file, especially when the password is supplied in the same email.
- Instructions to enable Office macros, install software or bypass a security warning.
- Pressure to act immediately or to keep the request secret.
- A process that does not match how you normally view Optus bills or manage your account.
“No attachment” does not make a message safe: the 2019 waves also used direct download links, cloud documents and fake invoice pages.
Rank #3
- Security Key : Protect your online accounts against unauthorized access by using FIDO2 and U2F authentication with T110. It's the world's most protective security key that works with windows, Mac OS, Linux as well as Chrome, Firefox, Edge and many other major browsers.
- Certified with the new FIDO2 standard, T110 provides the benefit of fast login and strong protection against phishing, account takeover as well as many other online attactks.
- Works with : Bank of America, Github, Google, Microsoft, DUO, Twitter, Facebook, Dropbox, Apple, ebay, BINANCE, mor and more.
- Fits USB-A port : Insert the T110 security key into the USB-A port of each service and log in conveniently with one touch
- For the driver download and user guide, please visit TrustKey Solutions Home support page.
What to do if you have not opened anything
- Do not click links, open attachments, enter a password or reply.
- Do not call a phone number in the message.
- Save a screenshot or copy if you need to report it, then mark the email as spam or phishing and delete it.
- Check any supposed bill or account issue by opening the official Optus website or app yourself. Use contact details obtained independently, not from the email.
- Report the message through Scamwatch’s reporting form.
If you clicked a link or downloaded a file
Clicking does not automatically prove that your device is infected, but treat the event seriously.
- Close the browser or download window and do not open the downloaded file.
- Delete the file, then run an up-to-date security scan.
- Review the browser’s download history and recently installed applications.
- If you entered a password, change it from a separate, trusted device and turn on multifactor authentication.
- Tell workplace IT immediately if the device is managed by an employer.
Scamwatch advises having a device examined by a qualified technician after harmful software has been downloaded. Its phishing guidance is at scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/phishing-scams.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
If you opened or ran the attachment
Act as though the device may be compromised:
- Disconnect it from the internet, including Wi-Fi, to limit possible communication with attackers.
- Stop using it for banking, email and other sensitive accounts.
- Contact workplace IT or a qualified cybersecurity technician.
- Using a different trusted device, change passwords for email, banking, Apple, Google, Microsoft and other important services. Enable multifactor authentication.
- Contact your bank or card provider immediately if payment details, banking credentials or identity documents were entered.
- Preserve the email, attachment, filename, timestamps and screenshots for investigators. Do not delete evidence before obtaining advice.
- Report the incident to Scamwatch. Financial loss or cybercrime should also be reported through the appropriate Australian police or cybercrime channel.
Scamwatch identifies IDCARE as a free identity and cyber-support service for people whose personal information may be exposed. Do not pay a stranger who promises to “clean” the device or recover money without independently verifying the provider.
Rank #4
- POWERFUL SECURITY KEY: The YubiKey 5C NFC is the most versatile physical passkey, protecting your digital life from phishing attacks. It ensures only you can access your accounts
- WORKS WITH 1000+ ACCOUNTS: Compatible with popular accounts like Google, Microsoft, and Apple. A single YubiKey 5C NFC secures 100+ of your favorite accounts, including email, password managers, and more
- FAST & CONVENIENT LOGIN: Plug in your YubiKey 5C NFC via USB and tap it, or tap it against your phone (NFC), to authenticate. No batteries, no internet connection, and no extra fees required
- MOST SECURE PASSKEY: Supports FIDO2/WebAuthn, FIDO U2F, Yubico OTP, OATH-TOTP/HOTP, Smart card (PIV), and OpenPGP. That means it’s versatile, working almost anywhere you need it
- PRIMARY & SPARE KEYS: Just like having a spare house key, we recommend buying two YubiKeys - one for daily use and one as a spare. That way you’ll never get locked out of your accounts
What small businesses should change
Invoices, remittance advice and certificates make this type of phishing particularly dangerous in workplaces. Use layered controls rather than relying on one product:
- Quarantine executable files and risky script attachments, including VBS and JavaScript.
- Treat password-protected archives as suspicious and inspect them through a controlled process.
- Disable Office macros by default unless a documented business need requires them.
- Maintain current endpoint protection, email filtering and centralized logging.
- Remove unnecessary local-administrator privileges.
- Keep tested offline or otherwise isolated backups.
- Require staff to verify unexpected invoices and document requests through a separate known contact.
- Define an incident-response path for suspected malware, including immediate IT escalation.
- Monitor unusual account logins and outbound email activity.
Attackers can switch between attachments, links, cloud-hosted documents and archives, so no single filter or antivirus setting is a complete defense.
How to interpret this warning today
The evidence cited here concerns February–April 2019 activity. It does not confirm a new Optus malware campaign in 2026. It also does not prove an Optus corporate breach, exclusive targeting of paying Optus customers or a single malware family.
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The durable lesson is broader: verify unexpected requests independently, and treat links, scripts, archives and macro-enabled documents as potentially dangerous regardless of the brand or sender address displayed.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
