Free Scam Checker for Australians
Scams targeting Australians usually arrive as a text, an email, a marketplace message or a "too good to be true" offer. Paste the message into ScamShield AI and get an instant risk assessment, the warning signs in plain English, and safe next steps — before you click, reply or pay.
3 free AI checks each month · no card required · risk analysis and education, not a guarantee
What Australians can check with ScamShield AI
Bank and PayID payment texts, ATO and myGov impersonation, Centrelink and Medicare messages, Australia Post and parcel delivery notices, toll and Linkt notices, investment and crypto offers, job offers, rental listings, marketplace messages, romance and relationship approaches, visa and immigration "agents", and AI or deepfake scams.
Australian scam types, explained
Each guide covers how the scam works, the warning signs, and what to do if you already replied or sent money.
Banking & payments
- Bank SMS scamFake bank text telling you to 'verify' a payment via a link.
- Remote-access bank takeover'Bank fraud team' walks you through installing screen-share software.
- Business invoice redirectionHacked email thread where a 'supplier' changes their bank details.
- Gift card payment demandAnyone demanding payment in iTunes, Google Play or Steam gift cards is a scammer — full stop.
- ATM & card skimmingHidden devices on ATMs, fuel pumps or EFTPOS terminals copy your card and PIN.
Government & tax
- ATO / tax scamFake ATO messages threatening arrest or offering refunds.
- Fake government messagesmyGov, Medicare, Centrelink lookalikes asking you to 'verify'.
- Superannuation early-release scam'Advisers' offering to unlock your super early — for a big fee.
- Medicare & health fund impersonationCalls or texts pretending to be Medicare, Bupa or Medibank wanting to 'verify' your details.
Immigration & visa
Investment & crypto
- Crypto investment scamFake trading platforms or 'mentors' promising big returns.
- Boiler-room investment cold callPolished 'brokers' selling shares, bonds or carbon credits you can never sell back.
- Pig-butchering investment scamA long-running scam blending romance and crypto investing — they 'fatten you up' before taking everything.
Romance & relationships
Employment & income
Shopping & marketplace
Delivery & parcel
Tech support & devices
Phishing & email
- Phishing emailFake emails impersonating brands to steal your login or card details.
- QR code (quishing) scamFake QR codes stuck on parking meters, menus and posters.
- Public Wi-Fi 'evil twin'Fake Wi-Fi hotspots at airports and cafés that capture your logins.
- How to check if a website is a scamA step-by-step guide to spotting fake websites and unsafe links before you enter your details.
Family & impersonation
Subscription & billing
Housing & rentals
Loans & credit
Utilities & door-to-door
Recovery scams
AI & deepfake
Reporting a scam in Australia
- Contact your bank immediately if money has been sent or account details were shared.
- Report the scam to Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC).
- Report cybercrime, including hacking and online fraud, to ReportCyber.
- Forward scam text messages to 7726 so carriers can block the sender.
- Contact IDCARE for free support if your identity information was exposed.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check if a message is a scam in Australia?
- Paste the message into the ScamShield AI scam checker. You get a risk rating, the warning signs found in the wording and links, and safer next steps. Always confirm with the organisation using contact details you look up yourself.
- Is the Australian scam checker free?
- Yes — 3 full AI checks every month with no card required. Extra checks are available as credits that never expire.
- Where do Australians report scams?
- Report scams to Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre (ACCC). Report cybercrime to ReportCyber, forward scam texts to 7726, and contact IDCARE if your identity information was exposed. Contact your bank first if money is involved.
- Can ScamShield AI confirm a message is legitimate?
- No. ScamShield AI gives risk analysis and educational guidance and cannot guarantee that every scam will be detected or that a message is safe.
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