Scam and fraud awareness: Your go-to guide

Scams are becoming harder to recognise and can affect anyone. Emails, text messages, calls, and offers may appear legitimate and can be difficult to distinguish from genuine communications. Scammers often rely on urgency, pressure, or emotional manipulation to encourage quick decisions. Being targeted by a scam does not mean you’ve done something wrong. Scammers use tactics designed to catch people off guard, often at busy or stressful moments. Taking time to pause and consider a situation can help reduce the risk of financial loss.

As scams become increasingly sophisticated, with new ways of scamming continuously being developed, Scamwatch identifies three simple steps that can help us keep safe.

Stop. Check. Protect.

Stop

Before acting on an email, phone call or message from anyone, regardless of where they say they’re from and who they say they are, take a moment to stop and assess the request. Understand how it was received and what information or access is being requested from you. Stopping before you act on any request is a vital step, as most scams will rely on a sense of urgency or panic.

Check

Verify who you’re speaking with to ensure they are real. You can do this by contacting the organisation directly, using contact details you find on their official website. Verify investment offers through ASIC and confirm with family, friends or a professional before acting.

Protect

If you think you’ve been scammed, act quickly to further protect yourself and others. If you’re a People First Bank customer and you suspect your account security has been compromised or notice unauthorised transactions, contact us immediately on 13 11 82. You can also help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch and www.cyber.gov.au.

Types of scams

Investment scams

Investment scams often appear professional and credible. Scammers may pose as investment advisers or financial institutions and advertise opportunities through social media, websites, apps or messaging services.

Common signs include:

• Unsolicited investment offers or trading opportunities
• Claims of guaranteed or unusually high returns
• Pressure to act quickly or keep the opportunity confidential
• Requests to invest using cryptocurrency or overseas accounts

What to do:

• Take time to consider any offer - legitimate investments do not rely on urgency 
• Verify the investment through ASIC’s Investor Alert List
• Seek independent advice before investing
• Contact us before making any payment if you’re unsure

For more information about investment scams, visit our dedicated blog. 

Remote access scams

In remote access scams, criminals claim there is a problem with your computer, phone, or bank account. They may contact you unexpectedly or use pop-up messages that appear urgent or alarming.

Common signs include:

• Requests to install software or allow remote access
• Claims your device or account has been compromised
• Instructions to act immediately to avoid loss

What to do:

• Do not install software or allow remote access
• Close the message or hang up the call
• Turn off your device and contact us immediately on 13 11 82 if access has already been given

For more information about remote access scams, visit our dedicated blog. 

Phishing scams

Phishing scams occur when a scammer pretends to be from a trusted organisation such as telecommunications or internet providers, financial institutions, online retail, courier and delivery services and more, in an attempt to gain personal or financial information.

Common signs include:

• You receive an unsolicited email, phone call, text message or instant message asking you to confirm or verify personal details or alerting you to suspicious activity on an account
• You are asked to verify a payment that has been made from your account by verifying your credit card or bank details so the bank can investigate
• The message you receive has spelling or grammatical errors and the branding is slightly different from the legitimate organisation

What to do:

• Be wary of clicking links, particularly if the communication seems urgent or unusual
• Never provide your personal, banking or credit card details if you receive an unsolicited call regarding an account. If in doubt, hang up and call the organisation directly via contact details you have sourced independently

For more information about phishing scams, visit our dedicated blog. 

Impersonation scams

Impersonation scams are a type of phishing scam and can occur via email, social media, phone call or SMS. The scammer attempts to gain your personal or banking information by pretending to be a trusted organisation or person. From 1 July 2026, businesses and organisations using branded sender IDs are required to register them. Unregistered sender IDs may be displayed as 'Unverified'. For more information on this, see our dedicated blog. 

Common signs include:

• You receive a text message that asks you to click on a link that takes you to a webpage asking for your username, password, or personal information
• You are contacted by someone claiming to be from a government, taxation office, regulator or law enforcement agency and they threaten immediate arrest, deportation, or ask you to pay money urgently
• A business you are familiar with contacts you and tells you their BSB and account details have changed and instructs you to use these details for future payments

What to do:

• Do not click on any links or open emails claiming to be from your bank or another trusted organisation
• Never provide your personal, banking or credit card details if you receive an unsolicited call regarding an account. If in doubt, hang up and call the organisation directly via contact details you have sourced independently

For more information about impersonation scams, visit our dedicated blog. 

Romance scams

Romance scams begin with online relationships that build trust over time. Scammers may avoid meeting in person and gradually introduce financial requests.

Common signs include:

• A relationship moves quickly or feels intense
• Requests for money, gifts, or investment opportunities
• Stories involving emergencies, travel issues, or financial hardship

What to do:

• Be cautious of financial requests from online contacts
• Pause and talk to someone you trust
• Contact us before sending money or making payments

For more information about romance scams, visit our dedicated blog. 

Buying and selling scams

These scams occur when buying or selling goods on online marketplaces, social media and fake websites. Scammers may pose as buyers or sellers and use deceptive payment tactics to mislead and confuse.

Common signs include:

• Requests to receive and forward money
• Over-payments followed by refund requests
• Pressure to use unusual or insecure payment methods

What to do:

• Use secure and trusted payment methods
• Stop the transaction if something feels wrong
• Contact us immediately on 13 11 82 if money has been sent

Jobs and employment scams

Scammers target individuals by offering employment opportunities so they can steal money and personal information. These jobs often offer a high income with low or minimal effort, and sometimes the job does not exist at all. 

Common signs include:

• The recruitment process is quick, with little focus on your qualifications, experience or references
• You are required to pay a ‘recruitment fee’ or pay for training materials before you begin
• A recruiter contacts you out of the blue via text message or instant message service

What to do:

• Never send money or give your personal information, credit card or banking details or crypto currency account details to anyone you have only met online, through email or over the phone
• Verify the employment opportunity by contacting the recruitment agency representative or via phone numbers you have sourced independently. Be aware that scammers often use trusted websites to post fake ads
• Never send your passport or identity documents to an employer or recruitment agency unless you are certain they are genuine

Fraud and unauthorised transactions

Fraud is different from a scam. Fraud occurs when someone gains access to your account or payment details and uses them without your authorisation. This may happen through stolen card details, compromised devices, or other unauthorised access. If you notice a transaction you don’t recognise, it’s important to act quickly.

Common types of fraud

• Card-not-present: Criminals steal card details for unauthorised purchases/withdrawals
• Skimming: Card details captured from tampered ATMs or EFTPOS machines
• Account takeover: Someone gains access to your account without permission
• Unauthorised online payments: Payments made without your consent

What to do if you notice an unauthorised transaction

• Contact us immediately so we can help secure your account on 13 11 82. We’ll guide you through the next steps and investigate the transaction
• Stop or block cards and access if possible
• Review recent transactions carefully
• Continue to monitor your accounts for unusual activity

Keeping your accounts and devices secure

A few simple habits can help reduce the risk of scams and unauthorised access.

Protect your bank details

• Keep your passwords and PINs private and never share them
• Use strong, unique passwords and avoid reusing them across accounts
• Enable two factor authentication (2FA) on your accounts
• Never share one-time passcodes (OTP) with anyone
• Check your account transactions regularly and report anything unusual

Keep your devices secure

• Keep your phone, tablet and computer updated with the latest software
• Use security features such as passcodes, biometrics or screen locks
• Avoid using public computers or Wi-Fi to access online banking
• Do not allow remote access to your device

Be cautious online

• Only access online banking through official websites or apps
• Be wary of links, pop-ups or attachments you weren’t expecting
• Avoid clicking on ads or messages that create urgency or pressure
• Take time to verify unexpected requests before acting

There are a number of organisations committed to increasing the understanding and knowledge of these issues to help consumers protect themselves and their families. You can find them below:

• Cyber.gov.au
• Scamwatch
• Money Smart
• Microsoft Security
• The Office of the Australian Information Commissioner