Phishing is a type of scam that aims to trick people into sharing personal details so it can be used for fraud. Phishing messages look like they're from legitimate sources and can come through emails, phone calls, text messages or even social media channels.
Here's a look at the the warning signs and what you can do to stay safe.
Generally, scammers will pose as a friend, a bank or another trusted organisation in order to trick or scare you into responding or providing details. But there are often signs that these messages are fraudulent, including:
Check the credentials of anyone who asks for money or personal information before giving them anything. Most scammers will try and avoid showing their faces on live video calls or meeting in person.
George Andreopoulos, Argus Investigations
Security expert
To help give you some idea of what an email phishing scam might be like, here's one that was directed at customers holding a Latitude Financial Services Mastercard in January 2020.
In this scam, an official-looking email was sent to Latitude Mastercard customers, asking them to update their security details immediately. It included a link to an official-looking website, where they were prompted to enter their card details. Both the page and the email had branding, formatting and language that you might expect from a financial institution.
Here's a breakdown of what made this scam believable and what gave it away.
| Looked legitimate: | Probably a scam: |
|---|---|
| The email address ended in "@latitudefinancial.com.au". This was done using a hacked mail server. | The use of urgent language such as "action required" was designed to rush recipients into making a decision. |
| Official branding, headers and footers that were consistent with real emails were used. | The lack of personal address in the email and the fact that it did not address the recipient by name. |
| Clicking the link directed users to a convincing replica of Latitude's own page, complete with logos and proper branding. | The fake website it redirected to didn't start with "https://", which would indicate that it's a secure destination. |
| Spelling, grammar and phrasing were correct and the email was well-formatted. | There were still some spacing errors in the email itself. |
| Came through to peoples inboxes (instead of being filtered to their junk mail or spam folders). | The email was related to security. Security and protection "upgrades" or "updates" are some of the most common ways to pressure people into providing information. |
As you can see, there's no guaranteed method of spotting a sophisticated scam. And while email spam filters often pick up potential phishing scams, it's important to stay aware.
Remember: Even if a source seems legitimate, it's better to contact the organisation directly regarding any requests for your personal information.
According to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), 13.2 million people were exposed to scams in 2021-22. And most were over phone (48.2%), text message (46.5%) or email (37.1%).
Phishing is one form that these scams can take. If you want to see a list of current scams that include phishing, you can also check the government's active database on the Scamwatch website.
If you think a scammer has gained access to your bank or credit card details, contact the bank immediately. They can freeze your account and potentially reverse unauthorised transactions.
Depending on the situation, you can also report issues and/or get support from the following organisations:
You can also learn more about protecting yourself from fraud and scams with this Finder guide.
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