Scamwatch
How to recognise, avoid, and act against scams, protect personal information, and prevent identity theft both online and offline.
A scam or a fraud is any scheme designed to con you out of money or steal your personal information. If someone contacts you unexpectedly – whether over the phone, through the post, by email, on a website, in person or on social media – always consider the possibility that it may be a scam.
Scammers target lots of people, often for small amounts of money. They constantly evolve their approach making scams harder to spot. Most scams come from overseas, but they may pretend to be locally based — from a reputable company, bank, or government agency, or even from your friends on social media if your account has been hacked. It is very difficult to get your money back once it is sent overseas.
Scams hurt us all. You can protect yourself and others by learning how to spot scams, share what you see and report them.
-
Types of scams
Figure out if you are being scammed and what to do about different types of… -
Identify a scam
How to check for scams, recognise if you or someone you know is being scammed,… -
Avoiding scams
Protect yourself with tips on how to reduce your risk and avoid being caught in… -
Scammed? Take action
What to do if you’ve been scammed and information about who can help. -
Stop, think – is that return for real?
Investment scams are getting harder to spot. Be suspicious of any unexpected offers, double-check the…