Keeping up with the latest information about scams will help you stay one step ahead of scammers.
Scams aren't always easy to spot
Scammers are good at convincing you an investment is real. It can be hard to tell the difference between a real investment and a fake one.
According to the National Anti-Scam Centre, Australians lost more than $837 million to investment scams in 2025, and more than $166 million to payment redirection scams.
Visit the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) website to keep informed about investment scam alerts, including scams impersonating ASIC. The website also provides tips on how to use ASIC’s resources to help avoid scams.
Types of financial scams
Our pages below summarise a number of types of financial scams. Read the short summary for each, then click on the link to dive into the detail.
Banking and credit scams - Whether it's phishing, credit cards or loans, there are a number of banking and credit scams to be alert to.
Crypto scams - Scammers can target crypto-assets as they are well-known, popular and not easily recovered.
Imposter bond investment scams - Imposter bond investment scams target people searching online to compare and find the 'best' long-term or 'safe' investment options.
Investment scams - Be suspicious of anyone offering you easy money. There's always a catch.
Ponzi schemes - Ponzi scheme promoters convince people to invest money by promising higher than average returns.
Superannuation scams - If someone offers to help you get your super early, it could be a scam.
Report all scams to Scamwatch
- Stop – Don't give money or personal information to anyone if unsure
- Check – Check who you're dealing with and ask yourself could the message or call be fake?
- Protect – Act quickly if something feels wron
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.