Reporting does three jobs: it helps stop the scam, it warns others and, if you were harmed, it connects you to help. The routes below come from Scamwatch’s own pages, opened on 5 October 2026, and from the agency pages we opened.
Report to Scamwatch
Scamwatch’s form is for any suspicious contact or activity. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, it says to call 000. The page asks whether you are reporting a website, whether money was stolen and whether it was an investment scam, and sends you to a fuller report if money or an investment is involved. It says that with your consent it can use your report to work with organisations and remove scam websites, scam ads and contact details, and that it can connect you with IDCARE if you are at risk of identity misuse.
Scamwatch says it is testing ways to make reporting a website quicker, with the aim of taking down scam websites from social media and search results, so a website report is worth making even if you lost nothing.
Who else to tell
| If… | Tell |
|---|---|
| Money left your account | Your bank or card provider immediately; ask them to stop any transactions. If you are unhappy with the bank’s response, Scamwatch says you can complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority |
| You shared identity details | IDCARE, 1800 595 160 |
| It was a cybercrime | Scamwatch says you can make an official report to the police online |
| A certificate site charged you | The registry in your state; in WA, Consumer Protection WA; in NSW, ID Support NSW; Queensland lists 13 QGOV (13 74 68) |
| A site impersonated the ATO or myGov | The ATO, 1800 008 540 |
| Someone is claiming to be a registered health practitioner | Ahpra, 1300 419 495 |
| A white card or training provider looks wrong | The licensing body for your state, listed on the white card guide |
| You saw the advert on a platform | The platform itself, using its report tool |
What to put in a report
- The web address, advert or phone number exactly as you saw it.
- The date and time, and what the offer promised.
- What you sent: money (amount, method, date), documents (which), and codes.
- Screenshots. Take them before the page disappears.
What to avoid
Do not reply to the scammer to complain, and do not pay a “recovery” service. Scamwatch warns that scammers approach people who have already been scammed and offer help for a fee, and that one in three victims has been scammed more than once.
Telling us
You can also tell us through the contact page. That does not replace a report to Scamwatch; we cannot take action against a site and we never need your identity documents.
Reporting for someone else
Scamwatch has a page for people who think a friend or relative is being scammed. Its warning signs include mentions of ongoing contact with a new person who has not been met in real life; contact involving money, personal information, investments or pressure to act quickly; communication moved to encrypted platforms or the phone, which hides identity; and a sudden change in behaviour, such as a usually outgoing person becoming withdrawn or anxious. An authorised caregiver who is allowed to review financial statements can look for unusual activity.
It advises helping the person identify the scam, perhaps by researching an unfamiliar company with ASIC or running an image search on photos the scammer supplied, and then leaving the information with them to process in their own time. Once they realise, ask what they would like to happen next, which helps them feel in control. If they do not accept it is a scam, searching for the scammer’s details often leads to anti-scam websites where it is known.
Choosing routes when more than one applies
Most document scams touch several routes at once. A certificate site that took your money and your ID is a bank matter, an IDCARE matter, a Scamwatch matter and a matter for the registry in your state. Take them in that order: the bank because time matters most for money, IDCARE because identity details are the longer-lasting harm, Scamwatch because it connects reports to takedowns, and the registry or agency last because it can warn its own customers. You do not have to do them all in a day, but the bank call should not wait.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I report a scam in Australia?
To Scamwatch through its report-a-scam page. If money was stolen, contact your bank immediately; for cybercrime Scamwatch says you can make an official report to the police online.
Can I report a scam website?
Yes. Scamwatch has a route for reporting a website and says with your consent it can use reports to work with organisations to remove scam websites, ads and contact details.
Who helps with identity theft?
IDCARE, on 1800 595 160 for individuals. It is free.
Should I report even if I lost nothing?
Yes. Scamwatch says reporting helps stop scammers and warn others.
What if my bank will not help?
Scamwatch says you can complain to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority if you are not happy with how your bank responded.