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Scam alert: Investment bonds scam Criminals are impersonating real businesses and offering fake investment bonds. They claim these bonds offer high returns and are protected by the government. Scammers will encourage you to register your name, mobile number and email on a fake website. They steal money by getting people to buy fake investment bonds. They will also use your personal details to commit other scams. How to spot the scam This scam can be hard to spot because criminals set up fake emails where they pretend to be legitimate brokers. They also have a fake website which looks like the real business’s website. The fake website has the business’s branding and uses links that go to the real website. The fake website comes up in internet searches for investment opportunities. What you should know There are steps you can take to help avoid investment scams: Don’t trust surprise offers to invest. Don’t take investment advice from people you have met on social media. Check the Australian Securities and Investment Commission (ASIC) website to confirm if the person offering the investment is licenced. Check the Moneysmart investor alert list for companies and websites you should not trust. Check if the business details match the company’s real website. Stay vigilant to scams. Remember to STOP. CHECK. PROTECT. If you’ve been affected If you’ve had money or personal information stolen contact us immediately. If you’ve been scammed or have provided personal information call IDCARE on 1800 595 160. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch.

Travel smart: Protect yourself from booking a scam holiday Have you considered booking a holiday in 2025? While booking time off is exciting, it’s important to ensure your plans are legitimate so you don’t end up the victim of a travel scam. To help ensure your holiday plans go ahead, COBA’s financial crimes team share tips on how to identify and avoid travel scams. What is a travel scam? A travel scam can be identified by cheap flights and accommodation offers, free vacations, or exclusive holiday rentals. Scammers create fake listings for popular travel destinations that mimic legitimate online travel agencies. They will then require payment upfront or request unusual and unsecured methods of payment that scam victims out of money. Travel scams can take many forms, including:- Fake travel websites, booking platforms or rental listings advertised online.- Unsolicited calls or emails offering free or heavily discounted luxury vacations.- Fraudulent online marketplaces where scammers demand upfront payments for non-existent bookings. Tips to protect yourself Do your research: Verify that websites, agencies, or accommodation listings are legitimate. You can do this by reading reviews from other travellers or asking for proof of the agency’s accreditation or certification. Red flags include listings with limited photos, vague descriptions, or deals significantly cheaper than market rates. Be sceptical of unsolicited travel offers: Avoid holiday deals that seem too good to be true, especially if they’re unexpected. You may receive emails notifying that you’ve won a free vacation and ask you to click a link to claim the prize – this is likely a scam, especially if you haven’t entered any competition. Use secure payment methods: Avoid transferring money or paying through untraceable methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency. What to do if you suspect a scam If you encounter a potential scam, report it to ScamWatch.gov.au to help protect others from falling victim. If you’ve been scammed, let us know by contacting us.

Card collection scam How to spot the scam Criminals pretend to be from your bank, IT company or phone company and tell you that your account or computer is not secure. They will ask you to provide your PIN and leave your card out for collection in your letterbox so it can be cancelled and replaced, or to withdraw cash and hand this over instead. How the scam works Scammers impersonate organisations you know and trust so that you will believe what they’re saying.They will try to make you scared about the security of your money or device, so you’ll do what they say without stopping to check that what they're saying is real. Once they have your card and PIN, they’ll withdraw as much money from your account as possible. What you should know Your bank or phone company will never ask you to:• disclose your PIN• leave your card out to be collected• withdraw cash from your account• transfer money to another account to keep it secure.Speak up and report if you are ever asked to do any of these things. Visit the Scamwatch website to find out more. Stay protected STOP – Never tell anyone your PIN, or give your card or cash to someone you don’t know. Say no, hang up, delete.CHECK – Scammers call and pretend to be from organisations that you know and trust – like your bank. If you’re not sure, call the official number of the organisation to check. You can find this on their website, app or the back of your bank card.PROTECT – If a scammer has taken your money, bank card or personal details, contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam and ask them to stop any transactions. Call the police if your cash or card has been taken by someone you don’t know. Report scams to Scamwatch. If you’ve been affected If a scammer has taken your money, bank card or personal details, contact your bank or card provider immediately to report the scam and ask them to stop any transactions. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch. The information you provide helps the National Anti-Scam Centre make Australia a harder target for scammers.For more information about how to avoid or report a scam, visit the Scamwatch website.

What is a remote access scam? If you have someone who contacts you unexpectedly, often via phone call, offering to help 'fix problems' with your internet, account, phone or computer by gaining access to your devices, this is a remote access scam. By gaining access to your device they are able to steal your personal information. Remote access scams are causing increasing financial loss. What happens? Scammers sound professional and it’s easy to think they’re legitimate. They’ll ask you to download a screen-sharing (or remote desktop application) software, then once they have access they will steal from you. Australians reported lost $15.5 million to these scams in 2023, with criminals stealing averages in the tens of thousands of dollars. Australians over 65 years old are losing the most money in these scams. How to spot the scam You receive an unexpected phone call from someone telling you there's a problem with your internet, computer, phone or account. They may impersonate someone from a well-known bank, internet or phone company, software company or web security business to try to gain your trust and tell you that they can help you 'fix the problem'. They tell you to download a certain software or an app which will allow them to remotely control your device to help you ‘fix the problem’. How the scam works Once you download the software or app they requested you to download, the scammer can now fully control your device. Since there is actually no problem, they don’t ‘fix’ anything. They may ask you to tell them your banking passwords or one-time security codes as a part of ‘fixing’ the problem. Once you share these, the scammer now has access to your bank accounts, personal information and can steal your money. You might not realise they have stolen your money and emptied your bank accounts until the next time you log in. Protect yourself STOP – Don’t let the sense of urgency rush you into taking actions. Hang up on anyone who asks you to download software or an app over the phone. Never provide anyone your banking information, passwords, or 2-factor identification codes over the phone.THINK – Take a second to ask yourself, do you even know this person who is on the phone with you? Take the time to call the business you're dealing with using independently sourced contact details or check you're talking to a real employee using their secure app.PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. If you've shared financial information, codes or transferred money, contact your bank immediately. Help others by reporting the incident to Scamwatch. If you've fallen victim to a remote access scam If you have lost money, contact your bank or financial institution immediately. If you've had personal information stolen or need support to recover from a scam, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160. Help others by reporting scams to Scamwatch. Tell your friends and family: you can share your experience, get support and help to protect others from scams.

Received a text message from LINKT Toll? Stop and think, don't click the link! Australians are being warned to be alert for text messages that appear like this:- LINKT - Reminder: You have an unpaid toll notice overdue for over 30 days. Please arrange payment immediately to avoid E-tag cancellation.Then it goes on to show a website. Scammers often try to gain trust by claiming to be from a well-known business or impersonating someone you may know. The SMS would normally contain a link to the thief's website which may appear to be legitimate but is really not. This is called a phishing website. These types of website attempts to trick you into giving out personal information such as your bank account details, passwords, codes and credit card numbers. Even if you think the text is real, it's safe not to click on any links and log into your account using the company's website URL instead. STOP – Never click on links in texts or emails. Don’t give money or personal information if you are unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency, such as telling you your parcel could not be delivered. Don’t rush to act. THINK – Ask yourself if the message could be fake? Scammers pretend to be from organisations you know and trust. Download the official app and turn on notifications to be confident the message is real. PROTECT – Act quickly if something feels wrong. Contact your bank immediately if you lose money. Report scams to Scamwatch. What to do if you have been scammed If you have lost money, contact your bank or financial institution immediately. You can also report to police via ReportCyber. Be aware of other scams which may occur after a loss of personal information. Contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 if you have provided scammers with your personal identifying information such as drivers licence or passport. Report scams to Scamwatch Learn more about scams  

Be aware of Scams! They're on the rise.  There's no better time to remind everyone that people aren't always who they say they are. Did you know that 3 in every 4 scams involve impersonation - people pretending to be people we should trust. Always ask yourself: who's really there? In 2023 alone, there have been over 81,000 reports of impersonation scams. $91 million has been stolen. They came via text message, posed as family, government, road tolls and bank imitation. The Government's ACCC have created an educational site to deliver valuable information to you about scams. Arm yourself with this knowledge so that you won't fall victim. Learn more here: https://www.scamwatch.gov.au/research-and-resources/scams-awareness-week-2023 Learn more about different types of scams here.  

Christmas, birthdays, special occasions they're all times when we're doing more online shopping than usual. Cybercriminals like online shopping too. Shopping online doesn't have to be stressful though! Take the worry away & shop securely. Check out the ASD's Secure Online Shopping Checklist provided by the Australian Government. Stop. Think before you click. #Onlineshopping #SecureShopping #ThinkBeforeYouClick