What should I do after clicking a phishing link in Australia?
Immediate action is critical to protect your personal information. Disconnect your device from the internet, secure your banking and email accounts by changing passwords, monitor for suspicious activity, and report the incident to relevant authorities like ReportCyber or Scamwatch.
Was this helpful?
15 readers found this helpful
How it works in practice
Clicking a phishing link exposes your device to malware and gives scammers a pathway to steal your personal, financial, and login information.
Immediate Threat Containment
The first moments after clicking a malicious link are crucial. By immediately disconnecting your device from Wi-Fi and mobile data networks, you can often stop malware from fully downloading and prevent scammers from accessing your data remotely.
Securing Your Information
Once your device is offline, you need to lock down your digital life. Scammers frequently target bank accounts and primary email addresses. You should contact your bank immediately using their official phone number to freeze your cards or monitor for unauthorized transactions.
Reporting the Incident
Reporting the scam helps authorities track cybercriminals and can sometimes assist in recovering lost funds. In Australia, you should report the incident to ReportCyber (managed by the Australian Cyber Security Centre) and Scamwatch. If your identity documents were compromised, contacting IDCARE is an essential step for personalized recovery support.
Important exceptions
If you only clicked the link but did not enter any personal information or download any files, your overall risk of financial loss is significantly lower. In these cases, simply running a comprehensive antivirus scan and clearing your browser cache is often sufficient.
However, if the phishing link was sent to your workplace email or clicked on a company-owned device, you must immediately notify your employer's IT department. Corporate networks have different security protocols, and failing to report the incident could compromise your entire organization's data system and violate internal workplace policies.
What you should do now
-
Disconnect your computer or mobile device from all Wi-Fi and mobile data networks immediately to prevent remote access.
-
Contact your bank or financial institution using their official phone number to secure your accounts and block potential unauthorized transactions.
-
Change the passwords for your critical online accounts, including email, banking, and social media, using a separate, secure device.
-
Run a full system scan using reputable, updated antivirus or anti-malware software to detect and remove any hidden malicious files.
-
Report the phishing incident to the Australian Government's ReportCyber portal, Scamwatch, and contact IDCARE if your identity documents were compromised.
Expert Notes
No expert notes have been added to this question yet.
People also asked
Explore highly relevant questions and get instant verified short answers.