Scams Awareness Week: No One’s Just a Number

25th Aug 2026

Scams Awareness Week 2026 runs from August 24 to 28, providing an opportunity to talk openly about scams, share experiences and learn how to stay safe.
This year’s theme, ‘No one’s just a number’, highlights the fact that behind every scam report is a real person – a parent, friend, neighbour or colleague – whose money, time or trust has been taken.
Scams can happen to anyone, and falling victim to a scam is never a reflection of a person’s intelligence or character.
Real stories, real scams
Scammers often use pressure, trust and convincing stories to persuade people to act quickly. The following are some examples to be aware of.
Lindy received a text claiming she had purchased a laptop. Because she had not made the purchase, she called the number provided in the message. The caller claimed they could stop the transaction but pressured Lindy into providing a verification code. She subsequently had money stolen and was left in debt.
Mannu was building a granny flat and was expecting to pay his builder a $20,000 deposit. When a payment link arrived, it appeared legitimate. However, the link was not from his builder and the deposit was stolen.
Nikita received a friend request from someone she believed was a British pilot. After weeks of building a relationship, the man said he needed money because his son had been involved in an accident. Nikita sent $5,000 to help, only to be blocked the following day.
Susanne received urgent messages she believed were from her daughter, saying her phone was broken, her bank account had been frozen and she needed money. Before Susanne discovered the messages were not from her daughter, she had transferred $26,000.
Three steps to stay safe
Scammers want people to act before they have time to think. Three simple steps can help:
• Stop before sharing money or personal information.
• Check who you are really dealing with. Use contact details you find yourself rather than those provided in an unexpected message.
• Protect yourself and others by reporting scams to your bank, ReportCyber or Scamwatch.
Talking about scams helps break the stigma and encourages people to speak up sooner. Sharing experiences and knowing what to look for can make it harder for scammers to succeed.

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Scams Awareness Week: No One’s Just a Number

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