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Scams by country

Scams in Australia: what to watch for right now

A plain summary of the scams official agencies in Australia warn about most, with the latest published figures and the fastest way to get help.

By the TapSafely editorial teamUpdated

The numbers

Australians reported losing $2.18 billion to scams in 2025, across 481,523 scam reports to Scamwatch, ReportCyber, IDCARE, AFCX and ASIC.

National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC)

Investment scams made up $837.7 million of reported losses in 2025, and losses to betting and sports investment scams almost tripled.

National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC)

Scams to watch for in Australia

Common in Australia

Investment scams

Investment scams caused the biggest losses in Australia in 2025, at $837.7 million, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre.

How to spot it
Common in Australia

Romance scams

Australians lost $139.9 million to romance scams in 2025, one of the five highest loss types.

How to spot it
Common in Australia

Phishing scams

Australians lost $97.6 million to phishing scams in 2025, and Scamwatch warns scammers pose as myGov, the ATO, banks and toll road companies.

How to spot it
Common in Australia

Remote access scams

Australians lost $69.9 million to remote access scams in 2025, one of the five highest loss types.

How to spot it
Common in Australia

Shopping scams

The ACCC says shopping scam losses rose 19% in January to September 2025 compared with the same period in 2024.

How to spot it

Who scammers pretend to be

myGovAustralian Taxation Office (ATO)Services Australia and CentrelinkBanksToll road companiesPolice

Never trust a call, text or email just because it uses one of these names. Contact the organisation using details you find yourself.

If you've been scammed in Australia

  1. Contact your bank or card provider immediately and ask them to stop any transactions.
  2. Call IDCARE, Australia's free identity and cyber support service, on 1800 595 160 for help with a recovery plan.
  3. Report the scam to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au, and report to police through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au.
  4. Watch out for follow-up scams, as Scamwatch says 1 in 3 scam victims are scammed more than once, often through fake offers to recover money.

Where to report a scam in Australia

Reviewed 2026-09-16. Services change, so check the official site if a link doesn't work.

Scam Weather for Australia

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Questions

What are the most common scams in Australia?

According to official sources: Investment scams, Romance scams, Phishing scams, Remote access scams, Shopping scams.

What should I do first if I've been scammed in Australia?

Contact your bank or card provider immediately and ask them to stop any transactions. Call IDCARE, Australia's free identity and cyber support service, on 1800 595 160 for help with a recovery plan.

Who do scammers pretend to be in Australia?

Official warnings mention myGov, Australian Taxation Office (ATO), Services Australia and Centrelink, Banks, Toll road companies, Police.

Official sources and further reading

Figures and warnings on this page come from these official sources.