Avoiding scams

What is a scam?

Scams are schemes designed to deceive you, generally for the purpose of stealing your money or personal details.

Coronavirus (COVID-19)

Scams have increased during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This includes scams that appear to come from trusted sources such as government agencies and media outlets.

Protect yourself against online scammers, by following these quick tips:

• Do not reveal personal or financial information in emails, and do not respond to emails asking for this information.
• Use trusted sources—such as legitimate, government websites—for up-to-date, fact-based information about coronavirus (COVID-19). See:
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) Victoria
  • Better Health
  • National Coronavirus Helpline on 1800 020 080.

Verify a charity’s authenticity before making donations: acnc.gov.au/charity To learn more about current coronavirus (COVID-19) scams, visit Scamwatch.

Fake tradies

Some scammers go door-to-door, offering cheap deals for 'today only'. For more information about these fake tradies (also known as travelling con men), and tips to avoid them, visit our Fake tradies page.

Protect yourself and others

• Take our online scams quiz.
• For consumer alerts and media releases on scams, view our News updates.
• For scam updates, follow us on Twitter and Like our Facebook page.
• Attend a free community talk or information session for seniors; view our Events page for details.
• Visit the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's SCAMwatch website.

Protect yourself from migration fraud by visiting the Department of Home Affairs website.