Scams
We're all vulnerable to scams. To protect yourself, stay alert and be willing to say no. Most importantly, report scams you experience or see and ask for help.
What are scams?
Scams are tricks by criminals to get your money or personal details.
It's important to have open conversations about scams with your workmates, friends, and family. By discussing scams and being aware of how they can present themselves, you can better identify them and avoid falling victim to them.
Falling victim to a scam is nothing to be ashamed of, as anyone can be targeted, especially when they are in a hurry, under pressure, distracted, enticed by a seemingly good opportunity, or trusting of the sender.
Scams are different from hacking because you’re convinced or coerced into giving them information or money.
Contact ID Support NSW
If you believe your personal information has been stolen, used, or accessed without your knowledge or consent, our advisors can simplify the process and guide you through protecting your identity, accounts, and devices.
Once you send us a request, we’ll do our best to reply within one business day.
Call our advisors on 1800 001 040 Monday to Friday between 9am and 5pm (Sydney time).
Interpreter services are available on request.
Common scam types
Scams come in many different disguises. Discover our guide to the most common themes and types of scams.
How scammers may approach you
Beware of emails that appear to have originated from a familiar and reliable source, such as a bank. They may ask for personal information to verify identity, request payment, or process a refund. These emails can look very real, making them hard to spot. Email scams are also referred to as "phishing" scams.
These text messages seem to be from trustworthy people, such as government agencies, businesses you use, and family or friends. They trick you into giving up personal information, often including a link or phone number to contact them. SMS scams are also referred to as "smishing" scams.
Callers pretend to be from trusted places like banks or government offices. They convince you to share personal or financial details by making false claims about your account, threatening legal action, or offering rewards. Telephone scams are also referred to as "vishing" scams.
Scammers using QR codes try to fool you into scanning a code with your phone. After that, the QR code takes users to a bogus website that could ask for personal information, download a virus, or run ransomware (spy software). QR code scams are also referred to as "quishing" scams.
Scammers pose as tech support to trick you into granting them remote access to your computer or devices. They may claim to help your device run faster, increase storage, or troubleshoot non-existent issues, but their true intention is to install spyware and steal personal and financial information.
Scam apps often imitate trending apps and require excessive permissions. While in the app store, it may ask to access your calendar, camera, contacts, location, microphone, phone, SMS, storage, and device sensors (biometrics) before it can download. Additionally, the app may prompt you to connect to your bank or social media accounts, potentially stealing login and password information.
Scammers will try to impersonate us, our friends, family, and famous idols on social media by using the personal information available on our profiles to deceive and manipulate us. The opportunity to use our interests to entice us with bogus goods, low prices, lightning-fast delivery, and a way to make direct contact with you in order to steal your money or personal information is limitless.
Scammers use imitation websites with familiar navigation and brand promotion to gain our trust. Scam websites often mimic familiar sites, use trusted brands, fake reviews, spoof influencer ads, and post photos of products from past buyers. They will also offer limited stock and time-limited deals, so you don't have doubts or time to suspect the site is fake or do your own research.
These scams take advantage of our trust and desire to support the community by posing as charities or selling bogus products or services. Scammers may steal personal information from forms, copy credit card numbers, and offer cash only transactions. These scams can make us feel pressured to make on the spot decisions, hesitant to ask for time to do research, and uneasy about questioning someone's honesty face to face.
Further reading and resources
- Types of scams and what to do about them https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams
- The ultimate guide to scams and how to beat scammers https://www.accc.gov.au/about-us/publications/the-little-black-book-of-scams
Report a scam
Report a scam to ReportCyber and help stop scams, protect others, and get support.
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