Common scam types in Australia

Most scams reaching Australians follow a handful of well-worn playbooks. Each guide below explains how the scam works, the warning signs to watch for, and what to do if you've been targeted. Got a specific message? Check it now for an instant verdict.

• Fake accounting software alerts (Xero, MYOB & more)Accounting-software scams are fake emails, invoices and texts that impersonate platforms like Xero, MYOB, QuickBooks and Reckon — 'billing failed', 'account suspended', 'view your invoice' — to trick businesses into logging in on a fake page or opening a malware-laden attachment. They peak around EOFY, when invoices and account messages look routine.
• Bank Impersonation ScamsScammers pose as your bank's fraud team by phone or text — often spoofing the bank's real number or landing in the same SMS thread as genuine messages — to 'protect' your money. The goal is your login details, your one-time security codes, or convincing you to move funds to a so-called safe account. These are among the most financially devastating scams reported in Australia.
• Business email compromise (BEC) & fake invoice scamsBusiness email compromise — also called payment redirection or fake invoice scams — is when a scammer hacks or imitates a business's email and tells you its bank details have changed, so a genuine payment goes to the scammer instead of the real supplier. It's one of the costliest scams for Australian businesses, and it spikes at EOFY when invoice volumes are high.
• Charity ScamsFake charity scams ask for money in the name of a charity that isn't collecting it: a text or email about a flood or bushfire appeal, a call or knock at the door from a 'collector', a donation or crowdfunding page on social media, or a follow-up saying your regular gift failed. Many borrow the name of a real, well-known charity. The goal is your card details, a bank transfer or your identity.
• Delivery & Parcel ScamsFake 'missed delivery' texts and emails impersonating Australia Post, DHL, FedEx and other couriers are among the most common scams hitting Australian phones. They claim a parcel is held up — wrong address, unpaid fee, failed delivery — and push you to a fake tracking or payment page built to steal your card details.
• Energy Bill ScamsTexts, emails and calls pretending to be your electricity or gas retailer claim a bill is overdue, a disconnection is booked, a refund is waiting or your rates are about to change. The newer versions greet you by first name and copy the payment-plan wording real retailers use, then push a link or a callback number that isn't the retailer's. The goal is your card, bank or login details.
• Government Impersonation ScamsCalls, texts and emails pretending to be the police, the AFP, Border Force, Home Affairs, ASIC or a state agency say you are in trouble: a warrant, a cancelled visa, a parcel in your name, an unpaid fine. The pitch is fear plus a fast fix, and the fix is a payment or your banking details. Caller ID can be made to show a real agency's number, so what is on your screen settles nothing.
• Investment ScamsFake investment platforms and apps, ads that borrow a celebrity's face, bonds and term deposits sold under a real bank's name, crypto exchange 'support' messages and online friends who coach you into 'trading' all end the same way: real money goes into something that doesn't exist. The newer versions survive a quick search, with professional websites, fake reviews and dashboards showing your balance growing, and a second scam often follows, offering to recover the money for a fee.
• myGov impersonation scamsmyGov scams are fake texts and emails that look like they're from myGov or Services Australia — claiming your account is suspended, a payment is blocked, or you need to 'verify' your details — to lure you to a fake myGov sign-in page and steal your account. A hijacked myGov account can expose your tax, Centrelink and Medicare records.
• Online Shopping ScamsFake stores, social-media ads and texts borrow a well-known retailer's name to sell goods at impossible prices, give away vouchers and gift cards, warn that loyalty points are expiring, or claim a payment failed and an order is on hold. Marketplace listings and fake buyers add another layer. The goal is your card details, login or an upfront payment.
• QR code scams (quishing)QR code scams — also called 'quishing' — use a QR code instead of a visible link to send you to a fake login or payment page, or to download malware. Because people trust QR codes and can't read where they lead, a scam sticker, email or text can be hard to spot until it's too late.
• Social Media ScamsThe 'Hi Mum' text is one of the best-known versions: a message from an unknown number claims to be your child or parent on a new number after a lost or broken phone, then asks for money. The same playbook runs across social media and messaging apps: fake 'your account will be disabled' and 'verify your account' warnings, fake recruiters, six-digit code requests, Marketplace buyer and seller tricks, and a friend's hacked account asking for help.
• Tax refund & ATO impersonation scamsTax refund scams are fake texts, emails and calls that pretend to be from the ATO or myGov — promising a refund or threatening a debt to trick you into handing over your login, personal details or money. They spike around tax time (June to October), when a message about your return looks believable.
• Telco ScamsCalls, texts and emails posing as your phone or internet provider, or the NBN, claim your internet has been hacked, your service is about to be disconnected, a bill is overdue or a refund is waiting. The aim is remote access to your computer, your card or banking details, or control of your mobile number through a SIM swap or port. The check that works is to open your provider's app, or call the number printed on a real bill.
• Unpaid Toll ScamsWaves of texts claiming you owe a few dollars in unpaid tolls — usually impersonating Linkt or E-Toll — have flooded Australian phones. The amounts are deliberately small, often around $3, but the fake payment page captures your full card details and personal information.

These guides are general information for Australians, not legal or financial advice — if you've lost money, contact your bank and report it straight away.