What should I do if I was scammed online in Australia?
Act immediately to protect your finances and identity if you are scammed online in Australia. Contact your bank to freeze your accounts, report the incident to Scamwatch or ReportCyber, and update your passwords. Fast action significantly increases your chances of recovering lost funds and preventing further damage.
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How it works in practice
Taking immediate action is crucial if you fall victim to an online scam in Australia.
Immediate Financial Protection
If you realize you have been scammed online, your first priority must be securing your finances. Scammers operate quickly to move stolen funds, so you must contact your bank or financial institution immediately. They can freeze your accounts, block compromised credit cards, and attempt to stop or reverse fraudulent transactions.
Reporting the Crime
After securing your accounts, you must report the scam to the relevant authorities. Scamwatch, run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, collects data on scams and helps warn the public. For cybercrimes, including hacked accounts or identity theft, you should file a formal report through ReportCyber, which directly alerts Australian police services.
Securing Your Identity
Online scams often involve stolen personal information. You must change the passwords and enable two-factor authentication for your essential online accounts, especially your email and banking profiles. If you provided sensitive identification documents, such as your driver's licence or passport, you should contact IDCARE, the national identity and cyber support service, for expert guidance on preventing identity theft.
Important exceptions
If you paid a scammer using an irreversible method, such as cryptocurrency, gift cards, or a wire transfer, your bank will likely be unable to recover your funds. In these situations, financial recovery is exceptionally rare, and your focus must shift entirely to preventing future losses.
Additionally, if the scammer is located overseas, Australian law enforcement agencies have severely limited jurisdiction to pursue them or recover your money. While reporting the crime is still essential for intelligence gathering, you should not expect international police action to retrieve stolen assets.
What you should do now
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Contact your bank or financial institution immediately to freeze your accounts and dispute any fraudulent transactions.
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Change the passwords and enable two-factor authentication for your banking, email, and primary online accounts.
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Report the incident to the ACCC through the official Scamwatch website to help warn others.
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File a formal cybercrime report with Australian police via the ReportCyber portal at cyber.gov.au.
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Contact IDCARE if you handed over personal identification documents to protect yourself from identity theft.
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