Welcome to Be Scam Aware

Be Scam Aware is a plain-English guide to the scams doing the rounds in Australia — and what to do when one finds you.

No one is scam-proof. Anyone can be caught on a bad day, which is why the goal is awareness: learn the patterns scammers use, know the reporting channels (ReportCyber and Scamwatch), and always know the next move when something smells wrong.

The habit that stops most scams

Before you send money, a gift card, a code, or personal details to anyone who contacted you out of the blue, run the three-second check:

STOP — don't be rushed. Urgency is the scammer's best friend.
CHECK — verify the request independently. Call the organisation on its official number, not the one in the message.
PROTECT — if it's a scam, report it and tell someone you trust.

Once a month we also round up the scams currently doing the rounds in our newsletter — one email, no spam. Welcome aboard. Stay sharp.