ASIC scam message examples
Example scam messages
Subject: ASIC Compliance Alert. Our monitoring has flagged your investment account as linked to an unlicensed operator. To prevent your funds being frozen, confirm your AFSL details and account credentials today at asic-verification[.]example before enforcement action proceeds.
What gives it away:
- A licence or credential check is something you run yourself; ASIC says to check the ASIC Professional Registers before investing, and to reach its websites through an independent search or trusted source, not a hyperlink
- ASIC says it does not ask you for a password or one-time security pin, and that an email is probably a scam if it asks you to provide your credit card or bank details directly by email or phone
- A frozen-funds threat with a same-day deadline is pressure; ASIC says it does not rush, pressure or threaten you into communicating with it
After losing money to an investment scheme, you find a professional-looking 'ASIC Asset Recovery Unit' site at asic-recovery-portal[.]example. It displays ASIC logos, quotes your case, and says your lost funds have been located; you just need to pay a processing fee by card and upload your banking login to release them.
What gives it away:
- ASIC says it does not request payment to recover or release funds, goods or services stolen by scammers, and describes offers to help scam victims recover stolen money as recovery scams
- ASIC says imposter websites can be very convincing, with information and links copied from its actual websites, so a professional look proves nothing; it advises not trusting hyperlinks or social media ads claiming to link to ASIC's websites
- 'Your funds have been located' is bait; ASIC says it is not involved in the creation of bank or investment accounts and does not collect payments to enable the release of funds or assets
How to check a message you've received
Never tap a link in an unexpected message. Instead, paste the text into the free message checker for an instant verdict, or check a suspicious link with the link & website checker. To verify directly, contact ASIC through its official app or the number on its real website — never the details in the message itself.
Understand the scam and the brand
Not sure about a message?
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Frequently asked questions
Is this ASIC message real or a scam?
The messages on this page are defanged examples of ASIC impersonation scams — illustrations modelled on common scam patterns, not genuine ASIC messages. To judge a specific message you've received, paste it into the free Scam Scanner checker for an instant verdict, or verify it directly through ASIC's official app or website.
How can I tell a fake ASIC message from a genuine one?
ASIC says scammers can use technology to make an email appear to come from a legitimate ASIC address, so an address alone is not proof; confirm unsolicited contact by hanging up and calling back on the number listed on ASIC's website. The examples below break down the tells that give a fake away — unexpected links, urgency, and requests for payment or details. If anything asks you to click a link or hand over information, treat it as suspicious until you've verified it independently.
What should I do if I already clicked a link or paid?
Act quickly: contact your bank, then follow the step-by-step recovery guide at /what-to-do. It walks you through who to contact — your bank, IDCARE and the right reporting channel — in the order that matters most.