The following scams have come across the SCAMwatch radar in recent times. This list is designed to highlight widespread or novel scams that have been reported to SCAMwatch. It is not an exhaustive list of scams that operate in Australia.
You should remember that even if an offer you have received does not appear on this list, it could still be a scam. Be sure to check out the information about common types of scams on the navigation bar to the left.
Remember, if you come across something you are not sure about, exercise caution. Your best defence against scams is to say no, or don't respond. If you are interested in an offer that has been made to you, make sure you seek independent advice before going any further.
If you want to receive warnings and alerts as they are published on the SCAMwatch radar, register for free SCAMwatch email alerts (you can also do this by following the link at the bottom of the page).
February 2010: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be on the lookout for an email purporting to be from the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) trying to trick consumers into providing their private d...
January 2010: Australians eager to help the nation of Haiti recover from the earthquake that struck on 12 January 2010 are being warned to be alert and ensure that they are not taken in by scammers.
January 2010: Australia’s National Breast Cancer Foundation has raised concerns over unauthorised use of the trusted pink ribbon logo in relation to marketing of health-related products online.
January 2010: The Australian Government warns consumers to be very wary of door-to-door salespeople offering to sell you digital television products in your home.
September 2009: SCAMwatch is urging consumers to be on guard online, even when searching celebrity news items. The latest celebrity scam exploits the death of Patrick Swayze.
September 2009: SCAMwatch urges caution when entering competitions or responding to ‘free’ offers online and purchasing concert tickets from fake fan club websites rather than official ticket s...
September 2009: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to be extremely cautious about getting involved in business opportunity schemes that promise a lot of income for little or no effort.
August 2009: SCAMwatch is warning consumers about fake job offers and investment grants sent by scammers in an attempt to steal personal information and money.
August 2009: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be on the lookout for a new telemarketing scam where scammers send text messages to advise consumers they have won ‘third prize’ in a bogus priz...
August 2009: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be on the lookout for a new chain letter scam seeking to take advantage of the current economic climate.
July 2009: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to be wary of spam emails that link to viruses and spyware embedded in songs, videos and pictures of celebrities.
July 2009: SCAMwatch is warning consumers about a fake Australian Federal Police email that claims your credit card has been used in transactions related to criminal organisations.
June 2009: SCAMwatch is warning consumers about an email that invites recipients to claim a bogus tax return of $452 by completing an online application.
June 2009: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to continue to be wary of unsolicited emails that appear to come from well-known businesses and financial institutions.
June 2009: SCAMwatch is again warning consumers to protect themselves from identity theft when using social networking sites such as Facebook, My Space and Twitter.
May 2009: SCAMwatch is reminding consumers to be careful in protecting their superannuation account statements in particular and all their personal information more generally.
May 2009—SCAMwatch is warning consumers to be wary of spam emails promising a $500 Myer gift card, which may actually be a ruse to steal your money and personal details.
May 2009: SCAMwatch is warning small to medium businesses to be on the look out for unusual or complicated orders from overseas, particularly orders which are being paid for by credit card.
2009 April: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to continue to be wary of unsolicited emails that appear to come from well-known businesses or agencies. Scammers trick unsuspecting victims into providin...
April 2009: SCAMwatch is again warning consumers to be on the lookout for bogus phone calls, emails and other scams relating to the government's economic stimulus package.
December 2008: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to protect themselves from identity theft when using social networking sites especially during the holiday season.
SCAMwatch is warning consumers about a telemarketing survey which focuses on casinos in various Australian cities, including Canberra. This appears to be the first step in a new scam that has been ...
August 2008: SCAMwatch is warning prospective tenants to be wary when responding to rental properties advertised on the net where the 'owner' makes various excuses as to why you can't inspect the p...
July 2008: The Australian community is warned to beware of death threat spam text messages from scammers pretending to be a hired hitman in order to extort thousands of dollars from their victims.
June 2008: Doctors' clinics are warned to beware of aggressive marketing techniques engaged by some advertising companies offering listings in medical directories.
February–March 2008: every year, the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce holds a national campaign to help raise awareness about scams and how you can protect yourself. Fraud Fortnight will run...
October 2007: Scam emails pretending to be from RAC Finance Limited, part of the Western Australian Royal Automobile Club (RAC) are targetting Australians with fake job offers.
October 2007: Fake advertisements offering used vehicles for lower than expected prices continue to appear on Australian car websites, online classifieds and online auction sites.
September 2007: Classified ads offering non-existent pedigree puppies have resurfaced in local newspapers across the country, as well as online classifieds.
August 2007: Consumers have reported receiving emails from the 'Australian Office of Fair Trading'. There is no such organisation, and the email's attachment contains a virus.
More than $300,000 will be returned to consumers who were victims of North American-based scams after Australian Competition and Consumer Commission court intervention.
Australians who use the internet to buy goods from overseas should be wary of fake emails asking them to pay 'Customs' a range of fees, duty or taxes before their goods are released to them.
Small business operators and individuals with their own internet sites continue to be confused and caught out by unsolicited letters warning them that their internet domain name is due to expire an...
Has your small business received a form from a Spanish publishing company inviting you to confirm or update your details for inclusion in one of its European advertising guides or business director...
March 2007: Scams target you—Protect your identity is the latest message from the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. Treat your personal details like you would treat money—don't leave them...
March 2007: Scams target you - Protect your computer is the latest message from the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. Your computer can be attacked by phishing scams, spam, dodgy 'pop-ups' or ...
March 2007: Scams target you - Protect your phone is the latest message from the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. Phone scams can happen without you even knowing.
March 2007: Scams target you - protect your money is the latest message from the Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce. Remember, if it sounds too good to be true - it probably is.
March 2007: The Australasian Consumer Fraud Taskforce (ACFT) today launched scams awareness month, a 4 week initiative to help you protect yourself from scams.
January 2007: Classified ads offering Bulldog and Yorkie puppies are one of the latest scams making their way into local newspapers across the country and on-line classifieds.
November 2006: scammers often use the names of non-existent realistic sounding institutions like “the Federal Bank of South Africa” or “the European Consumer Protection Bureau”.
November 2006: SCAMwatch has seen a steady increase in reports about lottery scams, particularly from older Australians. If you receive a lottery scam, delete or destroy it.
October 2006: There is no guaranteed way to make money from betting on the horses— but there are some scammers around who want you to believe that there is.
October 2006: Have you recently received a spam email offering you work as a 'transfer manager' or 'financial' manager for an overseas company? These 'job offers' are scams!