Tips to help spot a scam
Last updated: 06 August 2025 | Estimated read time: 3 Minutes
Scams are deceptive attempts to trick people into sharing personal or financial information, often with the goal of stealing money or data. And while it’s easy to think “it won’t happen to me”, scammers are becoming more sophisticated every day.
Here’s the good news: Scam losses in Australia actually decreased last year, suggesting more people are learning how to recognise suspicious activity.
The bad news: In 2024, Australians still made 494,732 scam reports and lost over $2 billion to scammers1.
That shows that even tech-savvy individuals can be caught off guard – whether by clicking a link, responding to a message, or sharing sensitive details.
So here’s our guide to spotting scams, and how to sidestep them.
Warning signs to help you spot a scam
While scams can take many forms, some common red flags include:
- Offers that seem “too good to be true”
- Requests for help or money from someone you haven’t met
- Unsolicited messages with links or attachments
- Pressure to act quickly or urgently
- Requests for payment via unusual methods (e.g. gift cards, cryptocurrency)
- Instructions to set up new bank accounts or PayIDs
Online scams on social media and messaging apps
Given Australians spend nearly two hours a day on social media2, falling prey to scammers is a risk that the majority of us could face.
Social media scams
Messaging scams
Ticket scams
Spotting scams in emails, phone calls, and websites
Email scams
Phone scams
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Website scams
How to protect yourself from scams
Being aware and proactive in protecting your information is essential. Here are some tips to help protect you from scams:
- Keep an eye on the latest scam alerts
- Regularly change your online banking passwords and use 2-factor authorisation where possible.
- Be alert to typos, strange email addresses and weird formatting on emails that appear to be from reputable companies
- Only use myGov to monitor your tax account
- Don’t be rushed into decisions. Take your time and do your research
- Get independent legal and/or financial advice
- Avoid sharing personal information with anyone you don’t know.
- If you think someone is pretending to be an organisation, look up their actual contact details to check if the contact is legitimate. Don’t rely on the contact details provided in the message, use official websites or trusted sources.
Concerned that you’ve been scammed?
If you believe your personal information may have been compromised, reporting the incident to Scamwatch could help authorities track and respond to scam activity.
For phishing attempts related to Pepper Money, or if you think your account may have been affected, please contact our Customer Service team on 137 377. You can also visit our Security Centre for more information.
Frequently asked questions about scams in Australia
Investment scams remain the most reported and financially damaging, according to Scamwatch. If you do get taken in by a money-making scam, they can use sophisticated ways to make you think your investment is growing, such as fake data. Before agreeing to anything, check the company on the investor alert list.
One in three reported scams happen by phone5 – to protect yourself, screen calls from people you don’t know or hang up if you suspect it’s a scammer on the line. If it’s an SMS urging you to take action, click a link, make a payment or log into your account, don’t respond. Do an independent check with the company or person.
It depends on the payment method and how quickly you act. Contact your bank or financial institution as soon as you suspect you’ve been scammed as they can freeze accounts and supply new cards to stop any fund transfers.
Yes, IDCARE offers support for scams, identity theft and cybercrime. Scamwatch also offers info and support. You can also report to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC).
Yes, Scamwatch allows anonymous reporting to help track and prevent scams. You can report one here.
Sources
1Source: SBS news https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/australias-319-million-year-in-scams-and-the-biggest-hitters/mhxh5oy4o
2Source: Information age https://ia.acs.org.au/article/2025/aussies-addicted-to-social-media--2-hours-a-day.html
3Source: IDCARE https://www.idcare.org/news/the-national-scam-identity-and-cyber-support-servi
4Source: ScamWatch https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/investment-scams
5Source: ScamWatch https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/types-of-scams/phone-scams
Contributor | Steve Meek, Chief Information Officer
Steve joined Pepper Money in 2021 as Chief Information Officer. With over 20 years of diverse experience, he specialises in leveraging technology to drive business growth, enhance operational performance, improve customer experience, and foster innovation. Read more.
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