Learn how to spot and avoid scams
News and alerts
In May 2023, the government funded the ACCC to set up a new National Anti-Scam Centre over 3 years.
Its purpose is to make Australia a harder target for scammers. The centre will bring together experts from government and the private sector to tackle harmful scams.
The latest Targeting Scams report has revealed Australians lost a record $3.1 billion to scams in 2022, as government, law enforcement and the private sector look to improve collaborative efforts to support the community in the fight against scams.
Consumers are being warned to be wary of phone calls and texts that appear to be from their bank, following alarming reports of Australians losing their life savings to a highly sophisticated impersonation scam.
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STOP – Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure
Scammers will offer to help you or ask you to verify who you are. They will pretend to be from organisations you know and trust like, Services Australia, police, a bank, government or a fraud service.
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THINK – Ask yourself could the message or call be fake?
Never click a link in a message. Only contact businesses or government using contact information from their official website or through their secure apps. If you’re not sure say no, hang up or delete.
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PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong.
Contact your bank if you notice some unusual activity or if a scammer gets your money or information. Seek help from IDCARE and report to ReportCyber and Scamwatch.
National Anti-Scam Centre
The government has funded the ACCC to set up a new centre to build on the work of Scamwatch. It will:
- help people spot and avoid scams
- make it easier to report scams
- improve information sharing to disrupt scammers
- work across government and with industry
- support law enforcement
Find out more about how to stay safe online
