1. Don’t rush into making decisions
If you’re approached with an exciting offer, it can be tempting to jump right in and start benefiting from it. Even more so if the offer has a time limit on it. But you should always take a step back and thoroughly weigh up the pros and cons.
2. Always check who you’re speaking to
Scammers may pose as someone genuine and trustworthy to gain your confidence. Some may even appear to be associated with genuine businesses. For instance, a call may look as though it’s coming from your bank when it’s not.
Don’t take someone’s word for it when they say where they are calling from, especially if the contact is out of the blue. If the call is legitimate the caller will understand why you’re being cautious.
Hang up the phone, return the call using contact details you have found independently of those provided by the caller.
3. Compare the offers to other options
When you look at other options, how does the offer compare? Remember, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
For example, all investments come with some level of risk. An opportunity that claims to provide guaranteed returns or to be low-risk, high-return is likely to be a scam.
How to report a scam
You can report a suspected scam directly to the Australian Government through the Scam Watch website.
Help! I think a scammer has my details
If you think you may have inadvertently provided a scammer with your financial details, particularly credit card details, please contact us immediately. We can check your transaction history for you, and if necessary, cancel and re-issue any cards.
