Common Scams in Australia: How to Spot Them and Stay Safe
Australia has a fairly high rate of reported scams, and newcomers are especially likely to be targeted because they aren’t yet familiar with how things work here. Recognising common scams is an important way to protect yourself from your very first months of settling in.
Australia’s official scam-reporting body is Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au), which is part of the ACCC. It is where you can look up information and report a scam.
Phone and text-message scams
Calls impersonating government agencies
This is a very common type of scam in Australia. Scammers call claiming to be from the ATO (tax), the Department of Home Affairs (immigration), Centrelink or the police, telling you that you are under investigation, have an unpaid tax debt, or that your visa is about to be cancelled. They demand that you transfer money immediately or hand over personal details to “fix the problem”.
What you need to know: the ATO and other Australian government agencies will not phone you demanding immediate payment by gift card, cash or urgent bank transfer. If you get a call like this, hang up and call the agency’s official phone number directly to check.
Fake messages from banks or services
SMS messages or emails impersonating banks, Australia Post or streaming services ask you to click a link to “verify your account” or “update your payment details”. The link leads to a fake website that looks very much like the real one.
Don’t click links in messages or emails. If your bank needs to contact you, go directly to the bank’s app or call the number on your bank card to check.
Online shopping scams
Goods that never arrive or don’t match the description
Buying through social media or platforms with no buyer protection (such as unofficial Facebook groups), paying in advance, and then not receiving the goods — or receiving something completely different from what was described.
Use platforms with buyer-protection mechanisms (such as eBay, or Gumtree with payment through the platform) when buying from strangers. For in-person deals, don’t pay before you have seen the actual item.
Rental scams
A rental listing advertised at a very attractive price asks for a deposit and the first month’s rent before you can inspect the property, with the excuse that the landlord is overseas or busy. Once they have received the money, the scammer disappears.
Never pay a rental deposit before you have inspected the actual property and met the landlord or a legitimate real estate agent. Look for rentals through reputable platforms such as realestate.com.au or domain.com.au, and only deal with a verified agent or landlord.
Romance and investment scams
Romance scams
A scammer builds an online romantic relationship (through social media or dating apps) over weeks or months, then suddenly needs money for an “emergency” (an accident, being stranded overseas, medical bills). This type of scam causes major financial loss and serious emotional harm.
Investment scams
These promise unusually high returns, usually through social media or via someone you know. Typical examples are crypto scams, fake property deals or multi-level marketing schemes. They are especially dangerous when introduced by someone within the Vietnamese community who doesn’t realise they too are a victim being used.
If you have been scammed
- Report it to Scamwatch: scamwatch.gov.au — reporting helps warn the community and supports investigations.
- Contact your bank immediately if you have already transferred money — in some cases the transaction can be stopped.
- Report it to the police if you have lost a large sum — especially with rental or investment scams.
- Don’t be afraid to tell family or your community — a scam is not the victim’s fault, and sharing helps others avoid the same trap.
Note: money that has been sent to a scammer is usually very hard to recover. Prevention matters more than dealing with the aftermath.
Next steps
For buying second-hand goods safely, including spotting scams on Facebook Marketplace, see the related guide on buying used items in Australia.
For common mistakes that new settlers make, including a lack of caution around scams, see the related guide on common mistakes when first settling in Australia.