Reporting a scam will help to warn others and stop the scam. Report all scams to Scamwatch.
You may not be able to get your money back once you've paid a scammer. But reporting it will help stop them scamming someone else.
Act fast if you've been scammed
- Don't send any more money. Block all contact from the scammer.
- Report the scam to your bank or financial institution immediately. Ask them to stop any transactions.
- Report the scam to Scamwatch
For more detailed steps, see what to do if you’ve been scammed.
Report all scams to Scamwatch
Act fast if you suspect a scam
Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC), collates information about all scam types. They use this information to warn and protect the public. Scamwatch also sends information to other agencies, including ASIC and ReportCyber, to help stop scammers. Report all scams, including investment scams, to Scamwatch.
What is an 'investment scam'?
In an investment scam, the money you 'invest' goes to the scammer and not to a real investment. Some examples include:
- A person tricking you to “invest” in something that does not actually exist
- A website convincing you to “trade” cryptocurrency on a fake platform
- Someone pretending to be from your bank or a well-known company, to offer you bonds or high-interest deposits
Find out more about investment scams.
What if it's not a scam?
ASIC receives reports about legitimate companies and individuals doing the wrong thing when investing or providing financial services. This includes superannuation, managed funds, financial advice, credit and banking, share or forex trading and insurance.
Some examples include:
- A funds manager misleading you about expected investment returns
- A financial adviser stealing your money (i.e. fraud)
- A payday lender offering you a loan you can’t afford
- A mortgage broker modifying your payslip to get you a bigger loan
- Someone who uses insider information to trade on the share market
If your report is about financial sector misconduct, other than scams, you can report this to ASIC.
Tell others if you suspect a scam
Also consider these options to help protect yourself and others:
- Social media – If you suspect a scam on social media, tell the platform so they can warn others. If the scam is an advertisement, report it to the platform using their ad settings button.
- Superannuation – If someone offers to help you withdraw your super, tell your super fund. See superannuation scams.
- Fraud or theft – Call your local police on 131 444 or report it online through ReportCyber..
- Identity theft – If your personal information has been compromised, find out what steps to take.