Common Australian Phone Scams and How to Spot Them
Phone scams in Australia rotate through a familiar set of stories. Once you recognise the type, you can spot it fast. Below are the scams reported most often, the tell for each, and what to do — last reviewed June 2026.
The scams reported most often
ATO / tax-debt scam
A caller claims you owe a tax debt or your TFN is "linked to a crime" and demands immediate payment. Tell: threats of arrest and payment by gift card or crypto. The real ATO does neither.
Bank "safe account" scam
"Fraud" detected on your account; move your money to a "safe account" to protect it. Tell: no bank ever asks you to move money or read out a one-time code.
myGov / Centrelink / Medicare scam
A problem with your payment or account; "confirm" your details or click a link. Tell: Services Australia never sends a login link. Go to the app or site yourself.
NBN / internet-disconnection scam
Your internet will be disconnected unless you act now. Tell: the NBN doesn’t cold-call to sell or disconnect services.
Tech-support scam (Microsoft / Apple)
Your computer is "infected"; install software so they can fix it. Tell: no real company cold-calls about a virus, and never install remote-access software for a caller.
Parcel / Australia Post scam
A text about a missed delivery or fee leads to a call or a fake site. Tell: unexpected "pay a small fee" links — couriers don’t charge release fees by SMS.
Investment / cryptocurrency scam
A "broker" offers high, guaranteed returns and pressures you to deposit. Tell: guaranteed returns and urgency. Check ASIC’s warning lists first.
Wangiri ("one ring") scam
A single ring from an overseas number tempts you to call back at premium rates. Tell: a missed call from an unfamiliar international code. Don’t call back.
AI-voice and robocall scams
Recorded or AI-cloned voices — sometimes impersonating a family member in distress. Tell: a "relative" in trouble urging secrecy and money. Hang up and call them directly.
What’s changed: spoofing and AI voices
Two trends make scams harder to spot. Caller-ID spoofing lets scammers display any number, including local or official-looking ones, so the number on your screen means little. AI voice cloning can mimic a familiar voice from a short sample — which is why a caller claiming to be a relative in trouble, urging secrecy and an urgent payment, deserves extra suspicion. Verify by calling the person or organisation back on a number you already have.
See what’s being reported right now
Scam numbers change constantly. To see what Australians are reporting today, browse the latest reported scam calls, the most-reported numbers, or look up a specific number on EndSpam.
Frequently asked questions
- What are the most common phone scams in Australia?
- The ones reported most often impersonate the ATO, banks, myGov/Centrelink, the NBN, and tech-support companies, plus parcel-delivery texts, investment/crypto offers, Wangiri "one ring" callbacks, and AI-voice robocalls.
- How do scammers make calls look local?
- They use caller-ID spoofing to display any number they like, often a local or official-looking one. The displayed number is never proof a call is genuine.
- Can scammers really clone a voice?
- Yes. AI voice tools can mimic a familiar voice from a short sample. Be sceptical of any urgent call from a "relative" asking for money and secrecy — hang up and call the person back on a number you already have.
Last updated 2026-06-27. This guide is general information, not financial or legal advice.