Types of scams

Scams come in many forms and are often tailored to different people, which means anyone can become a target.

Staying informed is one of the best ways to protect yourself.

Here are some of the most common scams affecting Australians and the warning signs you can look out for.

What is a phishing scam?

A phishing scam involves a scammer pretending to be a trusted person or organisation. They may include a message with a sense of urgency in a post, a text message or a call designed to deceive you into quickly handing over personal information, account or payment details. Phishing is often confused with spam (unsolicited marketing).

How to protect yourself: Always verify the sender’s identity through an independent channel. Don’t click links in unexpected messages. Look for subtle misspellings in sender addresses or URLs. Ask yourself, ‘was I expecting this message?’ – if not, pause and verify before acting.

What is a business impersonation scam?

Business impersonation scams rely on defrauding customers by pretending to be well-known brands. Scammers replicate logos, message templates, and even phone numbers to appear legitimate, then deceive you into making a payment or providing personal information and account details.

How to protect yourself: Know that real businesses like Optus will only communicate through official channels. If you’re concerned about a message you’ve received supposedly from us, please let us know via My Optus App or My Account.

What is scambling?

Also known as gambling and betting scams, scambling is “online gambling platforms advertised on social media and messaging app groups that trick people to visit a scam website to participate in gambling⁽¹⁾". Scambling can involve paying funds to a PayID and can also involve handing over personal information.

How to protect yourself: Be wary of gambling offers promoted on social media or messaging groups, especially those requiring PayID payments to individuals – this is almost certainly a scambling operation.

What is an investment scam?

Investment scams involve a promise of a big financial return, with the ultimate goal of stealing money from you. You may be approached through social media or online dating, with a relationship being built before you are asked and pressured into investing in a fake opportunity (similar to a relationship scam).

How to protect yourself: Be suspicious of investment opportunities that sound ‘too good to be true’ by promising unusually high or guaranteed returns. Check that any financial adviser or platform is registered with the ASIC and appropriately licensed. Never invest solely on the basis of online advice from an adviser you haven’t met in person.

What is a relationship scam?

Relationship scams (also called romance scams) involve scammers using potential romance, dating, or friendship to build trust, before pressuring you into giving them money, other financial benefits (like shares or gifts) or personal information and account details. This is often done through fake online profiles and/or famous people in an attempt to connect with you more easily.

How to protect yourself: Be cautious of online relationships that develop quickly or where the person avoids meeting in person or video calling. Never send money or other financial benefits or personal details to someone you have only met online.

What is a job scam?

A scammer may advertise a fake job, with the goal of getting you to pay them money for the promise of you making money or receiving a benefit. This may come with the promise of a high-paying job with little effort, or with an upfront payment request before to begin the job. This scam may also involve you handing over personal information and account details when applying for a job.

How to protect yourself: Legitimate employers never ask you to pay upfront to start a job. Be suspicious of unsolicited job offers, especially those promising high pay for minimal effort. Verify the company’s legitimacy and existence through official sources before providing any personal information.

What is a remote access scam?

Remote access scams involve a scammer contacting you, often by phone, claiming to be from a legitimate technology company, internet provider, or government agency. They trick you into believing your computer has a problem or needs an upgrade and ask you to install software that gives them remote control of your device. Once you grant them access, they use that access to obtain your personal information or trick you into making payments or providing other financial benefits.

How to protect yourself: Never give remote access to your device to someone who contacts you unexpectedly. Legitimate companies will never cold-call you to fix a problem with your computer. Hang up and contact the organisation directly if you are unsure.

What is a threat or extortion scam?

In this type of scam, a scammer deceives you by impersonating a figure of authority (such as police, immigration, or the tax office) and creates a fake scenario in which you face arrest, deportation, legal action, or reputational damage. You are then pressured into making a payment or handing over personal details to resolve the fictitious problem.

How to protect yourself: Legitimate organisations and government agencies do not threaten arrest, deportation, or legal action via email, a text message or an unsolicited phone call. Don’t make payments or provide details under pressure from an unverified caller or sender. Hang up and contact the organisation directly using publicly listed details. Report any threatening messages to the police and your service provider.

Please note: where a threat involves genuine imminent physical violence with no deception about the identity or circumstances, it is extortion and should be reported directly to the police.

1. AUSTRAC, Scambling FAQ