A false PayPal alert, a fraudulent building payment, an invented relationship and urgent messages from a supposed family member show how scammers exploit everyday situations.
The four Australians sharing their experiences for Scams Awareness Week 2026 encountered different tactics. However, each scam relied on trust, timing or pressure to secure money before the victim could verify the request.
The national campaign runs from 24 to 28 August and encourages Australians to speak openly about scams while learning how to recognise common warning signs.
Reported Scam Losses Reach $554.1 Million
Australians submitted 91,767 reports to Scamwatch during the first six months of 2026, with $156.6 million reported lost.
When reports made through ReportCyber were included, the total reached 122,550 reports and $554.1 million in reported losses, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre.
Investment scams caused the greatest financial losses reported to Scamwatch, accounting for $80.4 million during the six-month period.
Buying and selling scams produced the highest number of reports involving financial loss, with 7,652 people reporting stolen money.
Cryptocurrency and bank transfers were each connected to more than $50 million in reported losses.
The National Anti-Scam Centre said the figures did not capture the full cost because some scams were reported through other services, while many were never reported.
ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe said scammers increasingly used impersonation, psychological manipulation and technology, including artificial intelligence.
“Being scammed is not a reflection of someone’s intelligence or judgement.”
Personal Stories Mark Scams Awareness Week 2026
A False PayPal Purchase
Lindy received a text message claiming she had purchased a laptop.
She had not placed the order, so she called the telephone number provided in the message. The person who answered appeared to represent PayPal and claimed the transaction could be stopped.
The caller asked Lindy to read out a verification code and pressured her to respond quickly. By the time she realised the call was fraudulent, money had been stolen and she had been left in debt.
A Building Deposit Sent To A Scammer
Mannu was preparing to build a granny flat and expected his builder to request a deposit.
A payment link then arrived seeking $20,000, the amount he was expecting to pay so construction could begin.
The timing made the request appear legitimate. However, the link had not come from his builder, and the entire deposit was stolen.
A Relationship Built Over Several Weeks
Nikita received a friend request from someone claiming to be a British pilot.
Over several weeks, the person established an online relationship with her. He later claimed his son had been injured in an accident and that he could not access his own money.
Nikita transferred $5,000, believing she was helping someone facing an emergency. The account blocked her the following day.
Urgent Messages From A Supposed Daughter
Susanne received messages from someone she believed was her daughter.
The sender claimed her daughter’s phone was broken, her bank account had been frozen and she urgently needed help making payments.
The requests became increasingly urgent. Before Susanne contacted her daughter through another channel and uncovered the scam, she had transferred $26,000.
How Scammers Create Convincing Situations
The four cases began with situations that appeared believable.
Lindy received a warning about an unauthorised purchase. Mannu received a payment request he was already expecting. Nikita believed she had developed a genuine relationship, while Susanne thought a family member needed immediate help.
In each case, the scammer created a reason for the victim to act before independently checking the request.
Online contact methods, including websites, social media and mobile applications, generated the highest reported Scamwatch losses during the first half of 2026.
Phone calls and emails also continued to produce large numbers of reports.
Stop, Check And Protect
The National Anti-Scam Centre recommends three steps when dealing with an unexpected request:
- Stop: Pause before transferring money or providing personal information. Do not allow urgency to force an immediate decision.
- Check: Confirm the person or organisation independently. Use contact details from an official website or another trusted source, not the message you received.
- Protect: Contact your bank immediately if money or sensitive information may have been stolen. Report the incident to police and submit a report to Scamwatch, even if no money was lost.
Have You Experienced A Scam?
Have you received a suspicious telephone call, text message, payment request or online approach?
Share your experience in the comments and tell other readers how the scam worked or what helped you recognise it.
Do not publish passwords, bank details, telephone numbers or other sensitive personal information.
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