Scams in Australia: common scams, how to spot them and where to report

Scamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre, part of the ACCC); ReportCyber (Australian Signals Directorate)Verified 22 Oct 2026Official pages checked daily

The most common scams in Australia include callers pretending to be police, an embassy or a courier from your home country (for example the 'Chinese authority' scam), callers pretending to be a government department or debt collector who threaten arrest or deportation, investment and cryptocurrency scams, and fake jobs and fake rental listings. Scamwatch's rule is simple: any call that threatens arrest or deportation is a scam, so hang up. Ignore anyone who asks you to pay by gift card, wire transfer or Bitcoin. If you have been scammed, contact your bank first, then call IDCARE (1800 595 160) and report it to Scamwatch; if you lost money, report it to the police through ReportCyber. Scamwatch also publishes scam information in languages other than English.

Key facts

What Scamwatch is: Run by the National Anti-Scam Centre within the ACCC. It collects scam reports and uses them to warn the public, analyse trends and work with government, law enforcement and businesses to disrupt scams. It also publishes information on how to recognise and avoid scams.¹
How to report: Fill in the online form on the Report a scam page at scamwatch.gov.au; you can report any suspicious contact. With your consent, Scamwatch uses reports to take down scam websites, advertisements and contact details, and to warn others. If money or personal information was stolen from you, or you are being blackmailed, that is a cybercrime and you can report it to the police through ReportCyber. If you are in physical danger, call 000.²
First steps after being scammed: Contact your bank or card provider immediately, report the scam and ask them to stop the transaction. If you are not sure whether it is a scam, stop sending money first: scammers keep asking for money until you stop. Then change the passwords on all your devices and accounts (bank, email, government services, shopping).³
IDCARE 1800 595 160: Australia and New Zealand's national identity and cyber support service. It is free and helps you make a plan to limit the damage. If you are unhappy with how your bank handled it, you can complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. Beware of being scammed again: one in three victims is scammed more than once, especially by people offering to 'recover your losses'. If you need someone to talk to, call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.³
'Police, embassy or courier from your home country' scams (the Chinese authority scam): Scamwatch has a specific warning about this scam, which targets Chinese-speaking people in Australia; if you get a similar call about your own country, treat it the same way. A caller speaking your language, or an 'urgent' voicemail asking you to call back, pretends to be police, a government or immigration official or a courier company from your home country. They claim a parcel addressed to you containing fake passports, credit cards or other banned items has been intercepted, that your identity has been used in a crime, or that the Australian government is about to arrest and deport you over a visa problem, and finally threaten to extradite you to face trial unless you send money to 'prove your innocence'. There is no case. In one variation, students are forced to stage their own kidnapping and photograph themselves tied up, so the scammer can demand a ransom from their family. Scamwatch's advice: if anyone on the phone threatens you with arrest or deportation, it is a scam. Hang up immediately and report it to your local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. If you think the scammer has your bank details, contact your bank straight away. The Scamwatch page is available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and the ACCC's Little black book of scams also has a Simplified Chinese edition.⁴
How to recognise threat scams pretending to be a government department or debt collector: An unexpected call, text or email says you owe money or are in trouble and must pay a fee or fine immediately or face prosecution or arrest; asks for your passport, date of birth or bank details; or tells you to move money to another account for 'safekeeping' or to 'assist an investigation'. Scamwatch's advice: do not be pressured by threats, hang up and do not respond; never pay in unusual ways such as gift cards, store cards, iTunes cards, wire transfer or Bitcoin; and do not use the contact details the caller gives you. Find the number yourself in the phone book, on an old bill or on the official website to check.⁵
Investment and cryptocurrency scams: The type of scam that costs Australians the most. Warning signs: fake news stories or ads with celebrity endorsements; an online friend or romantic partner you have never met who starts talking about investing (romance baiting); promises of high returns with low risk; pressure to decide quickly; an 'adviser' who says they do not need an Australian financial services (AFS) licence; being asked to bring in friends and family for a commission. The platform shows fake profits and lets you withdraw a small amount to build trust, then makes excuses when you try to withdraw everything. To protect yourself: check the Moneysmart investor alert list, check the person's AFS licence, and verify the company using contact details you find yourself. Money lost to cryptocurrency scams is almost never recovered; report cryptocurrency scams to the police through ReportCyber.⁶
Job scams: Stop and check any job where you must pay money before you can earn money. Warning signs: a 'recruiter' who contacts you first by text, WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram; easy, high-paid work from home; no interview; being asked to top up with your own money or cryptocurrency to complete 'tasks'; work that involves transferring money, making purchases or receiving parcels for someone else; or a 'recruitment fee' or training fee. Using your own bank account to move money for someone else makes you a money mule, which is a serious crime. Do not send your passport or other identity documents to an employer you have not verified.⁷
Rental scams: Fake online listings use real addresses and photos. The 'landlord' says they are overseas or gives another reason why you cannot inspect, but asks you to transfer a deposit or rent first, or to fill in a 'tenant application form' that collects your personal information. Scamwatch's advice: insist on inspecting the property in person (driving past outside does not count); avoid paying by money transfer, which is very hard to recover; and keep the advertisement, your chat history and payment records.⁹
Scamwatch's three steps: Stop. Check. Protect.: Stop: do not give money or personal information to anyone if you are unsure; scammers often pretend to be a business you trust, the police, your bank or a government department. Check: ask yourself whether it could be a scam, do not click links in text messages, and use contact details you found yourself on the official website or app. Protect: if something feels wrong, contact your bank straight away, get help and report it to Scamwatch.⁸
Information in other languages: Scamwatch has an 'in your language' section. Its Simplified Chinese page explains the three steps and has victim story videos with Chinese subtitles (second-hand marketplace deals, dating, cryptocurrency investment and ATO impersonation scams). The Chinese authority scam page is also available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese.⁸
ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au): A joint tool provided by the Australian Signals Directorate's cyber security centre for reporting cybercrime to the police (online threats, fraud, hacked accounts, identity theft, ransomware and so on). It cannot give technical support for your devices or recover your losses. If you are in immediate danger call 000; for non-urgent police matters call 131 444. If you receive a suspicious email, text or call: do not respond to threats or transfer money, do not click links, do not let anyone remotely control your computer, and contact your bank before you report.¹⁰

Who is this for, and what are the requirements?

Anyone in Australia who receives a suspicious call, text, email, social media message or message on WhatsApp, WeChat or similar apps, especially international students, new migrants and older family members
Anyone who has already sent money or given out bank card details, passwords, passport details or other personal information
Anyone who wants to help family and friends recognise 'police or embassy from home' calls, investment groups and fake jobs

How do I do it? Steps and process

1. Hang up, do not respond, do not pay
Any call that threatens arrest, deportation or prosecution is a scam. Ignore any request to pay by gift card, wire transfer or Bitcoin. Do not call back on a number the caller gives you, do not click links in text messages, and do not let anyone remotely control your computer.
2. Check for yourself
If you really need to contact an organisation (your bank, the ATO, Home Affairs, your embassy), use the phone number you found yourself on its official website, not the caller ID or a number the caller gave you. Before investing, check the Moneysmart investor alert list and the AFS licence. Always inspect a rental property in person. When job hunting, contact the recruiting company on a number you looked up yourself.
3. If you have sent money: contact your bank now
Call your bank's official number, report the scam, ask them to stop or recover the transaction and freeze your cards, and change all your account passwords. Then call IDCARE on 1800 595 160 for a plan to limit the damage, especially if you gave out identity details such as your passport or driver licence.
4. Report it
Report to Scamwatch online whether or not you lost money. If you lost money or information, or are being blackmailed, report to the police through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au. 'Police from your home country' calls can also be reported to your local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. If you are in physical danger, call 000.
5. Watch out for follow-up scams
People who have been scammed are often targeted again, especially by 'lawyers', 'police' or 'platform customer service' who claim they can recover your losses. Genuine recovery never requires you to pay first.
6. Tell your family and friends
Share the Scamwatch information with your parents and classmates; Scamwatch has pages in other languages. International students especially should know the 'virtual kidnapping' pattern: no agency will ever ask you to photograph yourself tied up, or to hide and stop contacting your family.

What documents do I need?

The scammer's phone number, WhatsApp, WeChat or other messaging account, email address, website and the bank account you paid into
Screenshots of chats, emails and text messages
Transfer records and bank statements
A timeline of what happened (first contact, and the date and amount of each payment)

What should I watch out for?

Scammers pretending to be police from your home country often start with 'there is a problem with a parcel or document in your name', then 'transfer' you to a so-called police station or prosecutor's office, and may even send fake arrest warrants, fake police ID and video calls. Scamwatch's conclusion is simple: there is no case, and any call that threatens arrest or deportation is a scam. Being told to move your money to a 'safe account' or to 'assist an investigation' is the classic sign.
If you are told to 'tell no one during the investigation, move to a hotel and switch off your phone', that is the start of a virtual kidnapping. Stop contact immediately and tell your school, your family and the police.
Scammers can make their number look like a real organisation's number, so caller ID is not proof. If the caller insists you stay on the line and will not let you hang up to check, it is a scam.
Profit screenshots in an investment group, a 'teacher' who tells you what to trade, requests to download an unknown app or to send money to a personal account are all classic signs. A genuine licensed firm will not recruit you into a chat group.
When selling on a second-hand marketplace, a 'buyer' who asks you to click an email link and enter your bank details to receive payment is trying to make you send money. Keep the deal inside the platform and, where possible, meet to inspect the item.
When renting or job hunting, do not send photos of your passport, visa or bank card to someone you have never met. This information can be used to open accounts or take out loans in your name.
Follow Scamwatch's advice: never pay a caller by gift card, iTunes card, wire transfer or Bitcoin. If a caller claims to be from the ATO, Home Affairs or your bank, hang up and call back on the number from the official website.
This page is a plain-English summary of public information and is not legal advice. Follow the guidance of Scamwatch, cyber.gov.au and the police. If you are in immediate danger, call 000.

Common questions

I got a call from someone claiming to be police or an embassy from my home country, saying I am involved in money laundering. Is it real?

No, it is a scam. Scamwatch has a specific warning about callers pretending to be police, government or immigration officials from your home country (the 'Chinese authority' scam). They claim your identity was used in a crime or a parcel in your name contains banned items, and threaten extradition unless you send money to prove your innocence. There is no case. Hang up and report it to your local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. If they may have your bank details, contact your bank straight away.

They say a parcel in my name contains fake passports and I will be deported unless I transfer money to prove my innocence. What should I do?

Do not send any money. This is the classic pattern: the caller says a parcel with fake passports or credit cards was intercepted, 'transfers' you to a so-called police station, and tells you to move money to a 'safe account' to 'assist the investigation'. Scamwatch's conclusion is that there is no case, so hang up. If you are told to tell no one, move to a hotel or switch off your phone, that is the start of a virtual kidnapping: stop contact and tell your school, family and the police.

Someone I met online is guiding me to invest in cryptocurrency with guaranteed returns. Can I trust them?

No. Investment scams cost Australians more than any other type. Warning signs include an online friend or partner you have never met who starts talking about investing, promises of high returns with low risk, pressure to decide quickly, an 'adviser' who says no AFS licence is needed, and fake profits with small withdrawals allowed at first. Check the Moneysmart investor alert list and the AFS licence before investing. Money lost to cryptocurrency scams is almost never recovered; report it through ReportCyber.

A WhatsApp message offers a high-paying work-from-home job doing tasks for commission. Is it a scam?

Almost certainly. Warning signs of a job scam are a 'recruiter' who contacts you first by text, WhatsApp, Signal or Telegram, easy high-paid work from home, no interview, being asked to top up with your own money or cryptocurrency to complete tasks, and a recruitment or training fee. Stop and check any job where you must pay before you earn. Moving money, buying goods or receiving parcels for someone else can make you a money mule, which is a serious crime.

A landlord says they are overseas, will not let me inspect the property and wants a deposit first. Is that normal?

No, this is a typical rental scam. Fake listings use real addresses and photos, and the 'landlord' gives a reason why you cannot inspect but asks for a deposit or rent first, or for a 'tenant application form' that collects your personal information. Scamwatch's advice: insist on inspecting the property in person (driving past does not count), avoid paying by money transfer because it is very hard to recover, and keep the ad, chat history and payment records.

I transferred money to a scammer. What should I do first? Can I get my money back?

First, call your bank's official number, report the scam, ask them to stop or recover the transaction and freeze your cards, then change all your account passwords. Next call IDCARE on 1800 595 160 for a free plan to limit the damage. Recovery is not guaranteed, and money lost to cryptocurrency scams is almost never recovered. If you are unhappy with your bank, complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority. Beware of anyone who offers to recover your losses for a fee.

Where do I report scam calls and texts? Should I go to the police?

Report any suspicious contact on the Report a scam page at scamwatch.gov.au, whether or not you lost money. If money or personal information was stolen, or you are being blackmailed, report it to the police through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au. Calls from fake 'police from your home country' can also be reported to local police or Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. For non-urgent police matters call 131 444; if you are in danger, call 000.

Does Scamwatch have information in languages other than English?

Yes. Scamwatch has an 'in your language' section. Its Simplified Chinese page explains the Stop. Check. Protect. steps and has victim story videos with Chinese subtitles. The Chinese authority scam page is available in Simplified and Traditional Chinese, and the ACCC's Little black book of scams also has a Simplified Chinese edition. Share these with family and friends who prefer to read in their own language.

Answers are based on the verified content of this page — the official source always prevails.

Where can I check the official information?

About usScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Report a scamScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
What to do if you've been scammedScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Chinese authority scamsScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Threat scamsScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Investment scamsScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Jobs and employment scamsScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
有关诈骗的简体中文信息 - Scams information in Simplified ChineseScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Fake rental properties and shared accommodation listingsScamwatch (National Anti-Scam Centre) · scamwatch.gov.au
Help during a cybercrimeAustralian Signals Directorate (Australian Cyber Security Centre) · cyber.gov.au

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Emergency numbers: 000, 112, 106 and non-emergency numbers

In Australia, if someone is seriously injured, life or property is in danger, or you have just seen a serious accident or crime, call 000 (Triple Zero). When the call connects, say whether you need police, fire or ambulance. The call is free. From a mobile you can also dial 112, which reaches the same service. People who are deaf or have a hearing or speech impairment use a TTY to call 106. Do not tie up 000 with non-urgent matters: the police non-emergency number is 131 444, storm and flood help is SES 132 500, health questions go to healthdirect 1800 022 222, and poisoning to 13 11 26.

Enrol to vote after becoming an Australian citizen

Australia has compulsory enrolment and compulsory voting. If you are an Australian citizen aged 18 or over and have lived at your current address for 1 month, the law requires you to enrol with the AEC and to vote in federal, state or territory and local elections. After your citizenship ceremony, enrol once online at aec.gov.au/enrol; this covers all three levels of elections. You can use your citizenship certificate number, Australian driver licence, Australian passport or Medicare card. If you do not vote in a federal election you receive a notice: you either give a valid reason or pay a A$20 administrative penalty. Permanent residents and temporary visa holders cannot enrol.