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
Australia experiences significant losses to investment scams, romance and pig-butchering fraud, bank and government impersonation, and remote-access tech scams. This guide outlines the main threats and official reporting routes: Scamwatch, ReportCyber, and your bank.
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. Government services like the ATO and myGov won't demand crypto or gift-card payments or threaten immediate arrest.
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