Due to the increasing use of technology and level of sophistication of scams, being scammed can happen to anyone, anytime. Everyone has a part to play in shutting down criminal scammers.

This year’s theme is “Share a story, stop a scam”. Everyone is encouraged to speak up, share and report scams to help others identify, avoid, report and recover from scams.

Sharing scam stories makes others in the community aware of the scams that are out there, and how they can avoid them.

The impact of scams

Scammers are criminals who manipulate and deceive you into giving them your money or personal information. They deliberately induce feelings of shame, guilt, self-doubt and distrust.

  • Scammers create and take advantage of different situations, including when you are distracted, busy, fearful, anxious or stressed.
  • Being scammed can cause significant emotional distress and financial hardship.
  • Scammers isolate you from your real-life support networks. They want to create a situation where you rely entirely upon them.
  • People are less likely to report scams when they feel ashamed.1

The important role of sharing stories in scam prevention

Almost everyone you know has encountered a scam.2 By talking to each other, we can make sure no one is alone in the fight against scams.

If you have identified or encountered a scam, it is important that you share your story with someone – it could be your mates, family, colleagues, social networks, or community.

Through sharing stories about scams, we can help to prevent Australians from being scammed.

How to identify and avoid scams

Consumers are urged to ‘Stop, check, report’.

  • Stop - Don’t give money or personal information to anyone if unsure. Say no, hang up, delete.
  • Check - Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust – like myGov, your bank, the police or government. If you’re not sure, call the official phone number of the organisation to check.
  • Report - The more we talk, the less power they have. Report scams to scamwatch.gov.au when you see them.
  • Go to Scamwatch for scam alerts and information to help you spot and avoid scams.

Victim support

  • If a scammer has taken your money or personal details, contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam. Ask them to stop any transactions.
  • IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service. They can help you make a plan (for free) to limit the damage. Call them on 1800 595 160 or visit idcare.org to find out more.
  • If a scam is causing you problems with debt, talk to a financial counsellor. Moneysmart provides a list of free and confidential services to help you get your finances back on track.
  • Being scammed is a horrible experience, and it can happen to anyone. If you need someone to talk to, reach out to family and friends or you can contact Lifeline (13 11 14) or Beyond Blue (1300 224 636).

Reporting scams

  • 93% of people who report to Scamwatch don’t suffer a financial loss at all. Help increase this number as every piece of information about scammers matters.
  • You can make a report via Scamwatch anonymously or on behalf of another person.
  • You can also make an official report to the police via cyber.gov.au/report.
  • Report scams to the digital platform where they were encountered to assist with removal of the offending content.

1   In a CHOICE survey of 280 scam victims, 30% of respondents who did not contact their bank did not do so because they felt like it was their own fault. (Source: CHOICE, Passing the Buck: how businesses leave scam victims feeling alone and ashamed, May 2024).

2   2.5% of people have experienced a scam (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Fraud Survey, March 2024), while 65% of people have been exposed to a scam (Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics, Personal Fraud Survey.