Five Signs an Email or Text Is a Scam
Scam messages are getting harder to spot. The spelling mistakes and obviously fake logos that used to give them away have mostly gone, replaced by polished copies of real bank, government and delivery company templates. What has not changed is the underlying pattern. Almost every scam message relies on the same handful of tricks to get you to act before you stop and think.
This guide covers the five signs worth checking before you click a link, call a number or reply to anything that feels slightly off. None of them require technical knowledge, just a moment's pause. If you want the fuller picture on protecting your phone, email and bank accounts, see our guide to scam protection at home.
The five signs
- It creates urgency. "Act now", "your account will be closed within 24 hours", "final notice" and "immediate action required" are all designed to stop you thinking clearly. A real organisation gives you time to check and respond.
- It asks for passwords, codes or bank details. No bank, government department or legitimate business will ever ask you to read out a password or a one-time code over the phone, or email you asking to confirm your card number.
- The sender's address or link looks slightly wrong. A message claiming to be from your bank but sent from a personal Gmail address, or a link that is almost the right domain with a letter changed or an extra word added, is a scam.
- It claims to be from an organisation you were not expecting to hear from. A delivery text when you have not ordered anything, a tax office email outside tax time, or a bank message about an account you do not hold are all reasons to be suspicious.
- It asks you to pay in gift cards, cryptocurrency or a bank transfer to an unfamiliar account. This is close to the single most reliable sign of a scam. Real businesses and government agencies do not ask for payment this way.
A closer look at each one
Urgency and pressure. Scammers want you to react, not think. Phrases like "your account has been compromised", "unusual activity detected" or "pay within one hour to avoid disconnection" are built to short-circuit the pause that would otherwise let you spot the scam. If a message makes you feel rushed, that feeling itself is worth treating as a warning sign.
Requests for sensitive information. Genuine organisations already hold your account details. They do not need you to confirm your full card number, your password or a code that was just texted to you. If a message asks for any of these, stop immediately.
Mismatched senders and links. On a phone, press and hold a link before tapping it to see the full address. Look for small substitutions: a zero in place of an "o", an extra hyphen, or a completely different domain after the business name. On a computer, hover your mouse over a link without clicking to see where it actually goes.
Unexpected contact. If you were not expecting a parcel, do not use that bank, or have not applied for anything recently, treat any message claiming otherwise with suspicion. Scammers send the same message to thousands of people, hoping it matches enough of them to be believable.
Unusual payment methods. Gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers to new accounts and payment apps all share one thing in common: once the money is sent, it is almost impossible to get back. This is exactly why scammers favour them.
Common examples we see in the eastern suburbs
- Delivery and toll texts. A short message with a link to "reschedule your delivery" or "pay an outstanding toll", aimed at capturing your card details on a fake payment page.
- Bank impersonation. A call or text saying your account has been compromised, asking you to move money to a "safe" account. Your bank will never ask you to do this.
- Family emergency messages. A text from an unknown number claiming to be a child or grandchild with a new phone, asking for urgent money. See our guide to scam protection at home for a simple family code word that defeats this one.
- Fake invoices. An email that looks like it is from a tradesperson or supplier, with updated bank details for an upcoming payment.
What to do if a message looks suspicious
Do not click any link or call any number in the message. Instead, contact the organisation directly using a number or website you find yourself, such as from a bank statement, a card, or an official search. If it is a scam, report it to Scamwatch, and block and delete the message.
If you already clicked a link, entered details, or let someone take control of your computer, our guide to scam protection at home has a full step by step section on what to do next, and our virus and malware removal service can check your computer over.
Spot it before it reaches you
Recognising these five signs covers most of what comes through on an average day, but the strongest protection is combining it with a few simple settings on your phone, email and bank accounts. Our scam awareness and online safety service includes a one-on-one visit where we walk through all of this with you at home, in plain English, with family welcome to sit in. It is especially popular with seniors and retirement village residents, through our computer help for seniors service.
We come to homes across Balwyn, Kew, Camberwell, Doncaster, Box Hill, Blackburn and the surrounding eastern suburbs. Call 0400 771 828 or send a message to book. We work Monday to Saturday, 8am to 8pm.