It’s Scams Awareness Week and this year’s theme – Stop. Check. Protect. – is a timely reminder to stay vigilant in an increasingly sophisticated digital world. When it comes to scams, “everyone has a story to tell,” says Kristy Pless, Assistant Manager of Fraud at Qudos Bank. “Scams have been around for a long time, but they're definitely getting more common, more sophisticated and harder to detect.”
As technology evolves through tools like AI, so do scams.
That’s why prevention through education is key, says Kristy, who cares deeply about helping people understand how scams work and what red flags to look out for. “That gives the customer an opportunity to back out, hopefully before it's too late,” she says. “Once money is transferred, it’s very difficult to recover.”
Here are three scams Kristy says you need to watch out for right now, and some tips to protect yourself.
Impersonation scams happen when someone contacts you pretending to be from a trusted organisation, like your bank, law enforcement, the ATO, Australia Post or even your family or friends (think the “Hi mum” scam). They often use emotional or urgent language to convince you to act quickly.
“Bank impersonation can be a tricky one, because people think they're talking to their bank, so they're more inclined to hand over sensitive information,” Kristy says.
Scammers may even spoof or mimic phone numbers to make it look like the call or text is coming from a genuine source. “It’s very planned and structured,” Kristy says. “They know exactly what they’re doing.”
In a common scenario, victims may get a cold call claiming to be from their bank asking to verify an alarming (but fictitious) transaction and to follow steps that “assist” in protecting their accounts. In reality, the scammer is gaining remote access to the victim’s device/s (computer and/or phone). “They’ll ask victims to log on and check all bank accounts and read out security codes, and all the while they’re authorising payments out of your account,” Kristy says.
Protect yourself:
Ultimately used in many scam types, remote access scams involve a scammer gaining control of your device/s (computer and mobile) under the guide of trying to fix a problem, security breach, or to guide you in setting up online accounts. Common scenarios include scammers claiming to be from your internet or telecommunications provider, and they may either call out of the blue or generate pop-up windows that lock your device and request you call a supplied number for IT assistance. The third party convinces you to download remote access software. Once in, scammers can access the device’s files, emails, online accounts and even SMS security codes needed for two-factor authentication.
“Remote access tools are often legitimate in professional settings for IT support, but in the wrong hands they’re very dangerous,” Kristy says. “Once access is granted, scammers start steering the conversation towards banking, looking for vulnerabilities.”
Protect yourself:
Online marketplaces are unfortunately rampant with scammers. “There’s risk whether you’re buying or selling,” Kristy says.
Buyers need to watch out for fake sellers, especially ones that claim to have something in high demand at a low price, like mobile phones, designer handbags or gaming consoles. Scammers may ask for an upfront bank transfer to secure the item, then disappear once payment has been made. The item never arrives and the contact details no longer work. “We recently had a member pay upfront for a designer handbag,” Kristy says. “When they arrived at the pick-up address, it was a park.”
Another scam targets sellers: “The buyer sends a fake payment receipt, claiming they accidentally overpaid and asks for a refund,” Kristy says. “Victims send the refund before the original payment clears in their account (which it never does) and the seller often loses both the item and the ‘refunded’ money.”
Protect yourself:
“Whether you’re a teenager or 90 years old, anyone can fall victim to a scam,” Kristy says. “It’s about doing your due diligence first – question everything.”
One of the most important things is being honest with your verified providers (the person you speak to when calling the official, publicly listed number). “Never provide false information to your bank,” Kristy says. “Scammers often coach victims to give vague or misleading reasons for the transaction, like they’re renovating or buying a car, to avoid triggering scam detection protocols. But if someone is not upfront about the nature of the transaction, it becomes much harder for the bank to identify warning signs and protect them.”
Qudos Bank – alongside other Australian banks, telcos, digital platforms and regulators – are joining forces to build a united front against scams. “When it comes to financial crime, collaboration is essential,” says Kristy. “But ultimately the first line of defence is you. My advice is to approach every interaction with caution – assume it could be a scam until you’ve verified it’s genuine.”
To learn more about how to spot and protect yourself from scams, visit Qudos Bank’s fraud and security hub. And remember: Stop. Check. Protect.
August 2025
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