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).
April 2013: Looking for a furry friend? Watch out – scammers continue to use cute and cuddly canines to pull on people’s heart strings and get them to part with their money.
April 2013: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to be alert to scammers looking to take advantage of the Boston marathon explosions with malware or donation scams.
March 2013: The operators behind a scam targeting small businesses with false claims about advertising services for publications with a philanthropic slant have been ordered to pay $750,000 in pena...
March 2013: SCAMwatch is urging people to continue to be alert to a scareware scam where scammers posing as the Australian Federal Police (AFP) try to scare you into handing over money to regain co...
February 2013: SCAMwatch is warning businesses to treat with caution unsolicited invitations to register or renew internet domain names in China and other countries.
January 2013: SCAMwatch is urging consumers considering donating to help those affected by the summer bushfires to make sure that their money goes to a legitimate charity, cause or appeal.
December 2012: SCAMwatch is warning people to be on the lookout this festive season not just for flying reindeer and bargain gifts but also scam surprises wrapped up as the real deal.
December 2012: SCAMwatch is warning travellers to watch out for scam emails with fake flight itineraries attached – these attachments may harbour malicious software.
November 2012: SCAMwatch is warning people to beware of online scams – surveys, emails and social-media posts – offering fake gift vouchers or other bogus inducements in return for disclosing c...
October 2012: With Halloween around the corner, SCAMwatch urges you to be alert to a new type of scareware doing the rounds where scammers try and scare you into handing over money in order to rega...
October 2012: Joint action between three international regulators has thwarted a massive global phone scam, with US authorities winning court orders to close down and freeze funds of imposters posi...
September 2012: SCAMwatch and the Australian Taxation Office (ATO) are urging consumers and small businesses to be aware of scam calls or emails around tax time.
August 2012: SCAMwatch is warning consumers and businesses to be on the look out for carbon price scams, particularly calls asking for personal information in order to receive compensation.
July 2012: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to beware of SMS death threats from scammers claiming to be 'hitmen' hired to kill the SMS recipient unless they send cash.
July 2012: SCAMwatch and the Australian Crime Commission Board are urging Australians to protect themselves from the growing threat of investment scams.
May 2012: SCAMwatch is advising consumers to continue to be on the look out for scam scratchie cards in their letterbox. You may think you’re a big winner but scammers will ask you for thousands ...
March 2012: SCAMwatch is continuing to warn Australians to beware of scams delivered by phone with the ACCC receiving over 43,000 reports of scams perpetrated this way in 2011.
January 2012: SCAMwatch and South Australian Government Consumer and Business Services(CBS) are warning people throughout the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) lands to beware of scam dis...
December 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australian consumers to beware of a fake website pretending to be the official Australia Government Department of Climate Change website.
November 2011: SCAMwatch is advising consumers to watch out for this year’s 12 scams of Christmas. Scams occur all year round but scammers prey on people’s generosity and vulnerabilities at thi...
November 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be wary of websites that appear official but fail to deliver on promises to provide birth, death, marriage or divorce certificates in return for...
November 2011: Beware of scam online classifieds ads for smartphones, tablet devices and other small electronic items which are never delivered following payment.
November 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to erase their hard drive before parting with old computers and laptops. Simply deleting individual files is not enough to remove personal details, d...
November 2011: SCAMwatch and Australia Post are warning of scam callers pretending to be from Australia Post and requesting payment to redeliver an undelivered parcel.
November 2011: SCAMwatch is warning social networking users to beware of scam posts which offer fake gift vouchers or products for free. The vouchers are offered in exchange for personal details an...
November 2011: SCAMwatch is joining the UK Metropolitan Police Service in warning of online accommodation booking scams in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics.
October 2011: SCAMwatch is advising Australians to ignore recent lottery scam letters requesting $25, credit card details, or payment by cheque in return for a false $15,000 windfall.
October 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to continue to be wary of phishing scams received by email or SMS following a twist which leads to fraudulent online banking transactions.
September 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to continue to be wary of scammers who offer bogus government rebates for the installation of solar panels.
September 2011: SCAMwatch is warning small businesses and consumers to be on the look out for scam websites that either falsely claim to be affiliated with government or boast bogus government endo...
August 2011: SCAMwatch and Carnival Australia are warning Australians to beware of a new spate of scam scratchie cards and travel brochures sent in the mail. Every package contains a ‘winning’ ...
August 2011: SCAMwatch has received reports of a new twist on the computer remote access scam with callers now claiming to be from (or affiliated with) Telstra or BigPond.
July 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be alert to scam calls offering to pay carbon price compensation into your bank account or asking survey questions about carbon.
June 2011: SCAMwatch is warning current and former VIPtel Mobile customers to beware of scam phone calls offering a refund in exchange for payment of a fee. Scammers may claim to be from Centrelink...
May 2011: SCAMwatch is warning Australians to be alert to scam telephone surveys which gather your personal and banking information and use it to make future scam phone calls you receive appear leg...
May 2011: Beware of fake Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) emails which claim that you’ve visited illegal websites. These emails are a scam. If you receive one, delete it! Don’t open any at...
April 2011: If you’re shopping online for a Mother’s Day gift be alert! Scammers use online classifieds and auction sites to post scam ads, taking your money but leaving you without that perfec...
March 2011: SCAMwatch, Microsoft and the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) are warning Australians to continue to be wary of scam calls claiming that your computer is infected wi...
February 2011: If you meet someone special online, be careful: scammers use online dating websites too but they’re not genuinely after your love, only your money!
January 2011: Could you really be lucky enough to win a new car or money in a promotion or lottery you did not enter? SCAMwatch is warning you not to be fooled.
January 2011: SCAMwatch is warning consumers to thoroughly check the legitimacy of charities when donating to help flood victims in central and south east Queensland.
January 2011: SCAMwatch, the ACCC and CAV are warning consumers to be on the look out for fake emails claiming to be from SCAMwatch and CAV representatives.
January 2011: A state-of-the art DNA test that will reveal the blueprint of your genetic code and hold all the answers to your health, wealth and personal prosperity? Not likely!
December 2010: SCAMwatch is advising consumers to be particularly cautious this festive season. Scams occur all year round but scammers prey heavily on people’s generosity and vulnerabilities at ...
December 2010: SCAMwatch is warning travellers to be cautious if they are approached on holidays by strangers offering travel club memberships which seem too good to be true.
November 2010: SCAMwatch is advising travellers to check the authenticity of flight booking websites before making any reservations for domestic and international travel.
October 2010: SCAMwatch is warning punters this racing season to be cautious of investing in expensive betting schemes and software packages which make false claims of guaranteed winnings.
October 2010: SCAMwatch and the Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) are warning people who wish to visit or migrate to Australia to be cautious of people offering ‘guaranteed’ Aust...
Updated September 2010: SCAMwatch and Victoria Police are warning Australians to beware of email death threats from scammers claiming to be ‘hitmen’ hired to kill the email recipient unless the...
September 2010: SCAMwatch and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government are warning Australians of scammers who call offering fake government grants.
Updated September 2010: If you unexpectedly receive colourful travel brochures in the mail, be very suspicious if the package also contains scratchie card tickets.
September 2010: SCAMwatch is warning veterans to be cautious of potential scammers posing as representatives from the Australian Government Department of Veterans’ Affairs (DVA).
June 2010: With the end of the financial year upon us, small businesses across Australia are busy tidying up their financial affairs. However, this time is not only busy for business, but for scamm...
April 2010: SCAMwatch alerts consumers to a company, Powerballwin.com.au Pty Ltd, that claimed it had a secret method to predict future Powerball draws.
February 2010: SCAMwatch has joined with the Australian Government Department of Climate Change and the Commonwealth Grants Commission to warn consumers about anyone who approaches them with the of...
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.
December 2008: SCAMwatch is once again warning members of the community, particularly the Chinese community, to take note of family or friends who say they have unexpectedly won a lot of money from...
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 targeting 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!