Scam & Fraud Protection — Scam Types Targeting Migrants in Australia and How to Respond
From government and bank impersonation to visa, job, and rental fraud and SMS phishing. This guide sets out the scam types that foreigners living in Australia are frequently exposed to, the principles for identifying them, the immediate steps to take if affected, and the official places to report.
Australian scams: why migrants are targeted
A scam is a fraudulent act of deceiving someone to take their money or personal information. In Australia, scams are carried out through many channels — phone calls, text messages (SMS), email, social media, and fake websites — and recently government and bank impersonation and SMS phishing have been especially common. People who have just settled in are unfamiliar with the systems and language, and find visa, tax, and banking procedures unfamiliar, which makes them easy prey to a scammer's "official-sounding" tone and pressure. Scammers exploit this by staging urgent situations such as "your visa will be cancelled if you don't deal with this now" or "your account will be suspended."
The difference between legitimate contact and a scam
Legitimate organisations give you time to check and let you contact them back through an official channel. Scams, by contrast, usually pressure you for immediate payment or immediate disclosure of information and demand payment methods that are hard to reverse, such as gift cards, cryptocurrency, or overseas transfers. When all three — "urgent, secret, and by a special method" — come together, you should strongly suspect a scam.
Scam-detection principles to memorise first
You don't need to memorise every complicated tactic. Just remembering the few principles below will filter out most scams. The key is "not deciding on the spot when you receive contact." Hanging up and finding an official number yourself to verify again is the most powerful defence.
If you get these demands, it's 100% a scam
If even one of the following applies, it is not a legitimate organisation: demanding payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency, asking for passwords or one-time passcodes (OTPs), or asking you to install a remote-control app or share your screen. Governments, banks, and telecommunications providers never ask for these.
- Governments and banks do not demand immediate payment or passwords by phone or text.
- Caller IDs, email addresses, and links can be forged, so don't trust the information shown — verify directly through the official channel.
- Mixing urgency and threats — such as "right now," "keep it secret," or "arrest/deportation" — is a scam signal.
Pause before you click a link. Instead of the link in a text or email, it's safer to type the agency's official address (e.g. my.gov.au) directly into your browser's address bar, or to use a bookmark you've saved.
What to prepare before reporting — gathering evidence
When you've been scammed or suspect one, securing evidence before you rush to delete or block makes reporting and dealing with the bank far easier. Capture or save the material below. If there are signs that personal information has been leaked, also start preparing for identity theft.
- The caller's number, the original text or email, the fake website address (URL), and screen captures
- Transfer and payment records, the other party's account number and name, and records of messages exchanged
- A list of the personal information you handed over (passport, visa, driver's licence, bank details, etc.) and the time it happened
Freezing your bank cards and accounts is the top priority. Don't delay contacting the bank because of collecting evidence. Contact the bank first to stop money movement, then organise the remaining material and report.
Four common scam types
Here are four scams that migrants in Australia frequently encounter. Although the tactics differ slightly, they share one thing in common: an urgent demand for money or personal information.
Scammers impersonate myGov, the ATO, Services Australia, or Home Affairs and demand payment or personal information under pretexts like "unpaid tax," "a visa problem," or "a refund." Check genuine notices directly in your myGov inbox.
Unregistered brokers take large up-front payments on the promise of "guaranteed PR or jobs," or defraud people of training fees and deposits through fake recruitment. Check migration agent registration on OMARA and working conditions with Fair Work.
Texts impersonating banks, courier companies, or telcos get you to click a fake link and enter your login or card details. Don't click the link in the text — go directly to the official app or website.
Scammers build trust through social media or dating apps and then induce you to transfer money, or lure you to "guaranteed high-return" cryptocurrency or investment platforms. Be suspicious of any request to transfer money or invest from someone you've never met.
A prevention checklist to practise every day
Just building the following habits can greatly reduce your risk of being scammed.
- Don't click links in texts or emails immediately — go directly through the official app or an address you've saved.
- Set a different strong password and two-factor authentication (2FA) on every major account (myGov, email, banking).
- Don't respond to phone or video call requests from unknown numbers, or to requests for remote control or screen sharing.
- Before sending money, always take time and check once more with someone you trust or with an official body.
- Before signing with a migration agent or agent, check their OMARA registration number, get a written contract, and confirm a clear breakdown of costs.
Common mistakes and things to watch for
The following are mistakes victims often make. Knowing them in advance can help you avoid the same traps.
- Trusting a caller ID or email address just because it "looks official" — the information shown is easy to forge.
- Feeling reassured when contact comes in your native language — scammers target same-language communities too.
- Panicking at threats like "your visa will be cancelled or you'll be deported if you don't act now" and paying immediately.
- Delaying a report out of embarrassment — the later it is, the harder it becomes to recover funds and stop the harm from spreading.
- Giving out an OTP or password because they say it's for "identity verification" — no legitimate organisation asks for these.
Useful official links
- Scamwatch (국가사기방지센터)(opens in a new window)
Report scams and check the latest scam types (run by the National Anti-Scam Centre)
- ReportCyber (호주 사이버보안센터)(opens in a new window)
Report online crime, hacking, and financial loss (Australian Cyber Security Centre)
- Services Australia — 사기 안내(opens in a new window)
Guidance on scams such as myGov and welfare payment impersonation (Services Australia)
- ATO — 사기 확인·신고(opens in a new window)
Check and report tax-related scams (Australian Taxation Office, ATO)
- OMARA — 등록 이민사 확인(opens in a new window)
Check registered migration agents — verify registration before seeking immigration advice (OMARA)
Frequently Asked Questions
Someone claiming to be from the ATO or myGov says I'll be arrested if I don't pay taxes or a fine right now. Is this real?▾
This is very likely a scam. The ATO and Services Australia do not phone or text you demanding immediate payment or threatening you with arrest or deportation. In particular, any demand to pay via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or overseas money transfer is 100% a scam. Hang up and verify directly through an official number or your myGov account.
Someone is telling me to pay taxes or a fine using gift cards (Google, Apple, Steam, etc.).▾
This is clearly a scam. No government agency, bank, or telecommunications provider in Australia asks you to pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency. If you receive such a demand, hang up immediately and report it to Scamwatch. If you have already given out a card number, contact the card issuer right away.
An immigration broker promises "100% guaranteed permanent residency" and is asking for a large deposit. Can I trust them?▾
Be careful. No migration agent can guarantee that a visa will be approved. In Australia, paid immigration advice can only be provided by a registered migration agent or a lawyer. Check whether the person is registered on OMARA (mara.gov.au), and be wary of wording like "guaranteed" or demands for excessive cash paid up front. For your individual situation, consult a registered migration agent or a lawyer.
Someone claiming to be from my bank called and said "your account has been hacked, so install an app and share your screen."▾
This is a classic scam tactic. Banks do not phone you asking you to install remote-control apps, share your screen, or provide passwords or one-time passcodes (OTPs). Hang up and verify the situation by contacting the bank directly using the number on the back of your card or in the official app.
I received a job offer, but they're asking me to send money first for training fees, a deposit, or visa costs.▾
This is a sign of a job scam. Legitimate employers do not require an up-front payment as a condition of employment. Also be cautious when someone emphasises working from home or high income while asking for your personal information or bank account details first. If the pay or working conditions seem suspicious, you can check the minimum wage and your rights at the Fair Work Ombudsman (fairwork.gov.au).
I've been scammed. Where should I report it?▾
First, contact your bank to protect your cards and accounts, then report the scam to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au). If there has been a financial loss or an account has been hacked, also report it to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au). If your passport or identity information has been leaked, contact the identity theft support service IDCARE, and report to your local police if necessary.
Someone phoned me in my native language claiming to be from an embassy or my home country's police, asking for personal information and a money transfer.▾
Native-language scams targeting non-English-speaking communities are on the rise. Embassies, police, and government agencies do not phone you to demand money transfers or passwords. The fact that someone speaks your native language does not mean they are genuine. Hang up, verify directly using the embassy's official number, and then report it to Scamwatch.