Scams
Scammers are targeting ASIC’s customers. Be alert to these and other types of financial services scams.
If you think you’ve been targeted by scammers, act quickly. For steps to take and where to report a scam, see what to do if you've been scammed on Moneysmart.
This page contains:
- Scammers impersonating ASIC
- Notify us of a potential scam email impersonating ASIC
- Be alert to financial services scams
- Scams related information and resources
Scammers impersonating ASIC
Scammers pretending to be from ASIC may contact our customers asking them to pay fees and give personal information to renew their business or company name.
These emails often have a link that provides an invoice with fake payment details or infects your computer with malware if you click the link. Do not click the link.
Scammers may contact you via email, text message, phone or website, all with the aim to deceive you.
ALERT: Scammers impersonating ASIC
- Jun 2024: Scam alert: Fake ASIC branding is appearing on social media scams
- Jan 2024: Scammers pretending to be ASIC are approaching consumers on Telegram
- Jul 2023: Alert: Money recovery scam using fake documents to impersonate ASIC – www.payback-recovery.com
- Oct 2022: Scammers pretending to be ASIC approaching Registry customers via email
- Nov 2021: Warning: Scammers are impersonating ASIC
- Apr 2021: Think twice before giving out financial details on the phone
See other financial service scam alerts below.
Warning signs the email is not from ASIC
Example of a scam ASIC email
An email is probably a scam if it asks you:
- to make a payment over the phone
- to make a payment to receive a refund
- for your credit card or bank details directly by email or phone
- pay fees that are different to the fees on our website
ASIC would never:
- request payment to recover lost funds, goods or services
- endorse a particular investment.
Example of genuine ASIC email
- ASIC email notifications come from ASIC.Transaction.No-reply@asic.gov.au.
- ASIC sends renewal notices via email only.
- ASIC issues renewal notices 30 days before your renewal date.
- Search for your business name to check your registration renewal date.
Notify us of a potential scam email impersonating ASIC
If you have received a suspicious email from ASIC, you can notify us by following the instructions below:
- Send us an online inquiry with details and/or an attachment of the suspicious email
- Delete the suspicious email.
Our team will review your online inquiry and will reach out to you if we need further information.
Alternatively, you can call ASIC’s Customer Contact Centre on 1300 300 630 for verification if you are unsure whether you have received the email from ASIC.
Be alert to financial services scams
We regularly update our Investor alert list which you can use to help inform yourself as to whether an entity could be fraudulent, a scam or unlicensed. If someone contacts you to offer an investment opportunity, check this list as part of your research before deciding to invest.
Collated below are current and past scam alerts published by ASIC over the last 3 years that deal with financial services scams such as investments, crypto-assets structured as financial products, superannuation and suspicious websites.
Scam related information and resources
Scammers can target you online, by phone or by email. Know what to look for so you can spot a scam and protect yourself. Find more useful resources on Moneysmart.
- Protect yourself from scams
- Report an investment scam
- What to do if you've been scammed
- Identity theft
- Investor alert list
- Types of financial services scams: