Scams are everywhere, targeting people from all walks of life and costing Australians billions of dollars each year. Whether it’s fake emails, unexpected phone calls or online schemes, scammers always find new ways to gain your trust and steal your money or personal information. But 3 simple steps can help keep us all safe from scammers.
STOP.
Don’t give money or your information to anyone if unsure.
Scammers will pretend to be from organisations you know and trust like businesses, the police, your bank or government services. They will offer to help you or ask you to verify your identity with them.
CHECK.
Ask yourself if the message or call is fake.
Never click a link in a message. Only contact businesses or government using contact information that you find yourself from their official website or app. If you’re not sure, say ‘no’, hang up or delete.
PROTECT.
Act quickly if something feels wrong.
Contact your bank if you notice unusual activity or if a scammer gets your money or information. Seek help and report the scam to Scamwatch. When you report scams, you help us stop the scam and warn others.
Stay safe from scams
Common signs that something is a scam and how to stay protected.
Steps you can take straight away to limit the damage and protect yourself from further loss.
You can play a vital role in protecting your loved one from harm if they are involved in a scam.
Here you’ll find our Little Book of Scams for First Nations peoples, social media posts for you to share, posters for your workplace or community centre and more.
Scams target people of all backgrounds, ages and income levels across Australia. Find out in your language how to protect yourself from scams.
Scams information in your language