Remote access scams

In 2025, Australians lost $69.9 million to remote access scams, according to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).

We’ve put together a guide to help you keep your personal and financial information safe from remote access scams, including the common warning signs to look out for.

What is a remote access scam?

Remote access scammers operate by posing as trusted companies (typically in telecommunications, retail, IT support, or a financial institution) to gain remote access to your device. The scammer may call you and claim that there is an issue with your account, internet connection, or technology which can only be solved by remotely accessing your device. Pop-ups may also be used, asking you to click for assistance.

Once the scammer has gained access to your device, they can see what you see on your screen, and even take control from you, allowing them to access your online banking and personal information.

Example of a remote access scam

A remote access scammer calls and poses as someone from the IT team at your phone provider, claiming that a cyber threat to your information has been detected.

To get to the bottom of this problem, the scammer walks you through step-by-step instructions on how they can help, which involves you downloading software so that they can use to gain remote access to your device. They sound professional and from a legitimate company, so you follow the instructions and permit access.

Once they have access, they suggest you log into your Online Banking to check if your account has unusual activity. Shortly after logging in, you get locked out of your device as the scammer uses remote access to take control and transfer funds out of your account.

How to spot a remote access scam

There are several warning signs of a remote access scam that we encourage you to learn about and look out for, to better protect yourself. Please be wary if any of the following happens:

• You receive an unsolicited call from a trusted third party.
• The caller creates a sense of urgency.
• The caller claims that there are technical issues with your computer or other device, or that a cyber-attack has been detected.
• The caller asks you to purchase or download new software to protect your device.
• You’re asked to disclose personal or financial information over the phone (by rule of thumb, legitimate companies won’t ask this of you).
• The caller tells you they are sending you a verification code and ask you to read this back to them (they may refer to this as a One Time Passcode, One Time Pin or OTP).
• The caller is persistent and claims that the matter is urgent.
• Poor spelling or grammar in the communications or links that the caller sends you.

You can read more about how to spot some of the most common scams here.

Tips to protect yourself from remote access scams

• Never give remote access to your device by clicking a pop-up, downloading an application, or following verbal instructions.
• Never share your personal or banking information, including your credit card number or online account details over the phone (unless you made the call to a trusted source).
• When in doubt, hang up and contact the company directly that the caller claimed to be from. If you need to verify any transactions, call us immediately on 13 11 82.
• Take steps to strengthen your account security by setting up multifactor authentication and updating your device with anti-virus software (that you researched and installed yourself).
• Change your Online Banking passwords often and don't use the same password for other accounts or systems.

How to know if People First Bank is legitimately contacting you

People First Bank will never contact you to request your login details, security codes, card details, one-time passwords, or for you to move your money. If you receive a call claiming to be from People First Bank asking for this information, hang up and call us back on 13 11 82 so that you can be sure that you are talking to us.

How to report a scam

If you suspect that you may have fallen victim to a remote access scam, it’s important to act quickly.

If you have been contacted by a scammer posing as People First Bank, or you believe that a scammer has access to your banking information, please call us on 13 11 82.

It’s also important to report any scam calls you receive to Scamwatch after you have spoken to People First Bank.

Keeping our members’ banking safe is a top priority, which is why we have several anti-fraud measures in place. For more information about these measures, please visit our fraud and scams hub.