A blunt message.
Australians are losing billions of dollars every year to scammers. The victims are not stupid. They are teachers, tradies, nurses, accountants, business owners, retirees, university students and professionals.
The problem isn’t intelligence.
The problem is that scammers are professionals.
They work full-time at separating you from your money.
So here is the simplest anti-scam guide you will ever read.
RULE #1: DO NOT ANSWER OR ENGAGE WITH UNKNOWN NUMBERS
If a number is not in your contacts:
- Do not answer.
- Do not call back.
- Do not respond to texts.
- Do not respond to WhatsApp messages.
- Do not respond to Signal, Telegram or any other messaging platform.
If it is important, they will leave a voicemail.
If it is genuinely your bank, accountant, solicitor, government department or financial adviser, you can independently find their contact details and call them back.
Never trust a phone number simply because it appears legitimate.
Scammers can spoof phone numbers to make them look like they are calling from banks, government departments and trusted organisations.
RULE #2: IF SOMEONE CLAIMS TO BE FAMILY, VERIFY IT
One of the fastest-growing scams is the “Hi Mum” or family impersonation scam.
You receive a message saying:
“Hi Mum, my phone is broken. This is my new number.”
A few messages later they need money urgently.
Do not send a cent.
Call your family member on their old number.
Call another family member.
Use FaceTime.
Verify independently.
Trust nothing. Verify everything.
RULE #3: NEVER CLICK LINKS IN SOCIAL MEDIA
This one is simple.
Never click links in Facebook.
Never click links in Instagram.
Never click links in TikTok.
Never click links in LinkedIn messages.
Never click links in social media advertisements.
If something interests you:
- Close the app.
- Open Google.
- Search for the company yourself.
- Visit the official website.
The extra 30 seconds could save you your life savings.
RULE #4: SOCIAL MEDIA COMPANIES ARE NOT YOUR FRIENDS
Let’s be honest.
The big social media platforms make money every time you engage with content and advertisements.
Scammers know this.
Fake investment opportunities, fake competitions, fake cryptocurrency schemes and fake celebrity endorsements appear every day.
The platforms earn advertising revenue while you carry the risk.
You may not like hearing this, but:
The safest social media strategy is to use less of it.
Or better still:
Get off it completely.
Your mental health, privacy and bank balance may all improve.
RULE #5: GOOGLE SMARTER
Google is useful.
But Google can also be dangerous.
The first few results are often labelled:
Sponsored
These are advertisements.
Scammers sometimes use paid advertising to place fake websites above legitimate businesses.
When searching:
- Ignore sponsored results.
- Scroll down to organic search results.
- Check website addresses carefully.
- Look for spelling errors.
- Never rush.
Just because a website appears first does not make it legitimate.
RULE #6: URGENCY IS THE SCAMMER’S BEST WEAPON
Scammers want you emotional.
They want you:
- Excited.
- Afraid.
- Worried.
- Greedy.
- Rushed.
Common phrases include:
- “Act now.”
- “Limited time.”
- “Your account will be closed.”
- “Immediate payment required.”
- “Investment opportunity ending today.”
The moment somebody pressures you to act immediately:
STOP.
Legitimate organisations do not need you making financial decisions in panic mode.
RULE #7: NO LEGITIMATE INVESTMENT GUARANTEES HUGE RETURNS
If somebody is promising:
- Guaranteed returns.
- Guaranteed profits.
- Guaranteed wealth.
- Secret investment opportunities.
- Exclusive access.
Walk away.
Immediately.
If it sounds too good to be true, it almost always is.
There are no secret shortcuts to wealth.
There are only scammers selling the illusion of one.
RULE #8: NEVER MOVE MONEY BECAUSE SOMEONE TOLD YOU TO
Before transferring money:
- Speak to someone you trust.
- Speak to your financial adviser.
- Speak to your accountant.
- Sleep on it overnight.
A genuine opportunity will still be there tomorrow.
A scammer wants your money today.
RULE #9: BE PARANOID WITH EMAILS AND TEXTS
Assume every unexpected email and text message is fraudulent until proven otherwise.
Do not click:
- Tracking links.
- Banking links.
- Delivery links.
- Invoice links.
- Account verification links.
Instead:
- Open your browser.
- Visit the company’s website directly.
- Log in independently.
Never use the link they sent you.
RULE #10: YOUR BEST DEFENCE IS DISTRUST
This may sound harsh, but it is reality in 2026.
Trust is earned, not assumed.
Question everything.
Verify independently.
Slow down.
Make no financial decision while emotional.
THE FIVE-SECOND SCAM TEST
Before you do anything online, ask yourself:
Who contacted whom?
If they contacted you, be suspicious.
Are they creating urgency?
If yes, stop.
Are they asking for money?
If yes, stop.
Are they asking for personal information?
If yes, stop.
Can I independently verify this?
If not, stop.
FINAL THOUGHT
The old advice was:
“Be careful.”
The new advice is:
Assume it is a scam until proven otherwise.
Don’t answer unknown numbers.
Don’t trust unsolicited texts.
Don’t trust unsolicited WhatsApp messages.
Don’t click social media links.
Ignore sponsored Google results.
Verify independently.
And if you are unsure, talk to a trusted family member, accountant or financial adviser before doing anything.
Because once the money is gone, getting it back can be very difficult.
Stay sceptical. Stay cautious. Stay in control.