Six warning signs that apply to every scam — no matter how convincing it seems at the time. If you recognise any of these, stop and check before doing anything else.
Scammers are professional manipulators — they practise their stories and adapt quickly if you push back. But almost every scam, regardless of the story, shares the same warning signs. Knowing these gives you a reliable way to spot a scam even before you've worked out what kind it is.
"Act now or your account will be closed." "You'll be arrested if you don't pay immediately." Scammers don't want you to have time to think, ask someone you trust, or check whether the story is real. A genuine bank, government agency, or business will always give you time.
"Don't tell your family about this." "This is a confidential matter between you and us." No legitimate organisation will ever ask you to keep a call or a transaction secret from your family or a trusted friend. If they do — it's a scam.
Gift cards (iTunes, Google Play), cryptocurrency, a bank transfer to a "safe account," or an international wire transfer. These methods are irreversible and very hard to trace. Your bank, the ATO, Medicare, and the police will never ask for payment this way — ever.
A caller you didn't contact first asks to access your computer remotely to "fix a problem," "protect your account," or "remove a virus." Once they're connected, they can see everything on your screen. Legitimate technology companies and banks do not call you out of the blue and ask for remote access.
Your bank, the police, Medicare, the ATO — or even a family member in trouble. They may already know your name and some personal details; that alone is not proof they're real. If you're unsure, hang up and call the organisation directly using a number from their official website or the back of your card.
Trust that feeling. Scammers are practised, but your instincts often notice something is off even when you can't explain exactly what. There is no situation where pausing, hanging up, and calling someone you trust makes things worse. The pressure not to pause is itself a warning sign.
Artificial intelligence can copy a person's voice from as little as a few seconds of audio — a voicemail they left, a video posted online, or a clip from a family video shared on social media. The result sounds almost identical to the real person.
This means a caller can sound exactly like your grandchild, son, daughter, or a close friend — even if it isn't them. If you receive a distressing call from someone claiming to be a family member and asking for money urgently, the warning signs above still apply — especially the urgency and secrecy ones.
The best response: hang up, and call them back on a number you already have saved. A real emergency can wait five minutes. Consider agreeing on a family code word — a simple phrase that only your real family knows — so you have a way to verify in the moment.
Knowing the warning signs helps. But SafeHarbour Digital goes further — we put security tools in place on your computer and phone that block many scam attempts before you ever see them, and we monitor your device continuously so issues are caught early.