Following the recent terrorist attack at Bondi Beach, there is an increased risk of scam and financial crime activity. Scammers are known to exploit major public events by impersonating trusted organisations, creating fake donation appeals, or pressuring people into making urgent payments.
This article outlines common scam types, safe payment practices, and practical tips to help you stay protected.
Common scams to be aware of
After major incidents, scam activity often increases. Watch out for:
- Fake charities and donation requests: Scammers may impersonate legitimate charities or emergency relief funds, requesting donations via text messages, emails, social media posts, or fake websites.
- Fake government or compensation messages: You may receive contact from someone claiming to represent a government agency or authority, offering compensation, refunds, or financial support. These messages often ask for personal details or immediate payment.
- Urgent or emotionally charged payment requests: Scammers frequently use urgency to pressure people into acting quickly without verifying the request.
Use secure payment methods
Before making a payment or donation, consider whether the payment method being requested is appropriate for the situation. Legitimate organisations do not require urgent or unusual payment methods. Scammers often request payment methods that are hard to recover, including PayID or real-time bank transfers, international transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.
Stick to trusted and secure payment methods, which often have built-in buyer protection and fraud prevention features to help safeguard your purchases. If you are being pressured to pay quickly or in a specific way, stop and verify the request before proceeding.
How to protect yourself
Here are 4 practical tips to help you stay protected:
- Verify the organisation or recipient using official websites or trusted contact details.
- Do not click links in unsolicited emails, text messages, or social media posts.
- Donate only through official charity channels.
- Take time to check the request. Scammers often use urgency to pressure people into paying.
Need help?
If you believe someone has gained access to your bank account and/or personal information, even if the scam appears unrelated to your finances, you should contact your bank immediately. A timely response can be critical.
- If you have concerns about your account contact us immediately.
- You can report cybercrime directly to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC) or National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) – Scamwatch.
- Find out how scams work, how to protect yourself, what to do if you’ve been scammed or report a scam to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) via Scamwatch.
- Change your passwords and enable two-factor authentication to protect your accounts.
As always, we remain committed to your security and privacy online. To understand how we help to keep you safe, please refer to our Security page. For more information on common scams and how to protect yourself, please visit the News section of our website.
