Australia Scams: Investment, Impersonation & Online Fraud Guide
Common scams in Australia and how to report them to Scamwatch, ReportCyber, and your bank.
Emergency number: 000 — verify on official sources.
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Australians lose more money to scams than almost any comparable population, and investment fraud consistently drives the largest share of it — crypto trading platforms, 'guaranteed return' schemes, and pig-butchering operations that begin as romance or friendship. Alongside those sit the everyday threats: impersonation of banks, myGov, the ATO, and toll operators by text and phone; remote-access calls posing as tech support or bank fraud teams; and job and delivery smishing. Australia also has one of the better-developed reporting ecosystems, so knowing where to report matters: Scamwatch (run by the National Anti-Scam Centre) for scams generally, ReportCyber for cybercrime, and your bank immediately whenever money has moved. This guide covers the scams most active in Australia and the exact reporting route for each.
Common scams
- Investment and crypto scams
- Romance and pig-butchering scams
- Bank and government (myGov/ATO) impersonation
- Remote-access tech scams
Tourist-specific scams
- Ride and tour overcharging
- Ticket scams
Online shopping scams
- Delivery and toll smishing
- Marketplace non-delivery
- Phishing
Job scams
- Task scams
- Recruitment and work-from-home scams
Romance scams
- Dating-app romance and crypto grooming
Investment scams
- Fake trading platforms and bond/term-deposit imposters
- Crypto and 'AI bot' scams
How to report a scam here
- Contact your bank immediately to stop or trace payments
- Report scams to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au)
- Report cybercrime to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au/report)
- Check entities and warnings via ASIC/Moneysmart
Local reporting & protection links
Always verify reporting routes and emergency contacts on the official government or agency website for your country.
Bank & payment guidance
Contact your bank straight away to attempt to halt or trace transfers - the sooner you call, the more chance there is that the money has not moved on. Reach them through the app or the number on your card, never through a number or link sent to you. Explain that you were tricked into approving the payment, ask for the receiving account to be reported, and write down the reference. Government services like the ATO and myGov won't demand crypto or gift-card payments. Ask about replacing your card and changing your banking passwords.
Evidence to preserve
- Screenshot all messages, profiles, websites and payment pages
- Save transaction references, account numbers and crypto wallet addresses
- Keep emails with full headers where possible
- Note dates, times, names and phone numbers used
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report a scam in Australia?
Report scams to Scamwatch and cybercrime to ReportCyber, and contact your bank immediately. For investment checks, use ASIC's Moneysmart.
Sources
- National police and cybercrime portals (verify on official sites)
- FTC / Action Fraud / Scamwatch consumer guidance