Learn how to spot and avoid scams
News and alerts
Australians are being encouraged to ask if they really know who they are communicating with, as impersonation scams rob consumers of $92 million this year.
The National Anti-Scam Centre has released its first quarterly report. It provides insights into the most significant scams that impacted Australians in the first quarter of FY23/24 and highlights the key initiatives put into action to disrupt and prevent scams.
Consumers are being warned to watch out for scam websites impersonating high-profile Australian retailers when shopping online this Black Friday, Cyber Monday sale weekend (24-27 November 2023).
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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. The National Anti-Scam Centre:
- helps people spot and avoid scams
- makes it easier to report scams
- improves information sharing to disrupt scammers
- works across government and with industry
- supports law enforcement
Find out more about how to stay safe online
