Five tips to help stay scam-safe online
Updated
How are you staying scam-free in 2026? iStock
As scams get more sophisticated and personalised, it can sometimes feel harder to tell real from fake.
“Generative AI continues to lower the barrier to entry for scam actors, while simultaneously increasing the quality, sophistication, and scale of their operations,” says Cheryl Seeto, head of policy, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, at Meta.
Cheryl Seeto, head of policy, Australia, New Zealand and Pacific Islands, at Meta. Supplied
“Scams have become much harder to spot - but there are warning signs you can keep an eye out for to stay safe.”
How do you protect yourself in this environment? Here are five good habits that can help keep you safe online.
1. Pause under pressure
Scams will often try to convince you that you need to make a decision urgently. They might revolve around a limited-time sale or an exclusive time-bound offer. “If something feels rushed or pressured, that’s a cue to slow down and check it properly,” Seeto says.
Get in the habit of pausing before transferring money, making payments to unknown sellers or giving anyone your personal information.
If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. Unusually low prices, limited-time deals or promises of higher-than-normal returns can be warning signs that a person or business is not all that they seem.
2. Check who you’re dealing with
Always verify who you are dealing with before taking any action. Instead of trusting an unsolicited contact or clicking unknown links – even if they look real – make sure you verify the source independently.
Contact the organisation directly using phone numbers or email addresses you find on official websites or apps – not through links you’ve been sent.
Take a moment and verify before committing to online payments. iStock
You should also always make sure you really are on an official site. Scamwatch, run by the National Anti-Scam Centre, says when you’re searching for a website online, you shouldn’t assume that the first one you find is the real one. Check a site’s URL, or web address, carefully. It can also be a good idea to type the web address and the word “scam” or “review” into a search engine and review the results.
Check independent reviews before buying anything. Meta also recommends looking for official badges.
“Look for ‘verified’ badges or ‘official business account’ indicators to help confirm the account is authentic,” Seeto says.
3. Stay on trusted platforms
Scammers operate across different websites, emails, social media platforms and messaging services. Scams can occur anywhere, but be wary if someone asks you to move the conversation elsewhere or use an off-platform payment link.
Always use payment options that include strong protections. Scamwatch recommends paying by PayPal or credit card, and says it can be a good idea to keep a credit card with a low credit limit just for online shopping.
Stick to secure, trusted apps when browsing online marketplaces. Supplied
For local transactions, such as those made through online marketplaces, don’t pay in advance.
“Insist on meeting in a public place to inspect the product before making any payment.”
4. Secure your accounts
Where available, set up passkeys or two-factor authentication (2FA) to sign in to websites and accounts.
If you’re using passwords or passphrases (sequences of words), make them long, unpredictable and unique. Having a different password for every website or account may sound like a headache, but if you use a password manager, you only have to remember one. Avoid shopping or logging into your bank account on public Wi-Fi networks, says MoneySmart.
You should also make use of platforms’ features such as security checkups, Meta says. These simple procedures, such as the Security Checkup available on Facebook and Instagram, can help you make your accounts safer by recommending actions such as updating your password, or enabling 2FA or login alerts.
5. Act fast
If you’ve been scammed or are concerned that you may have been, Scamwatch recommends taking the following action:
- Act quickly: stop sending money and contact your bank or card provider to report the scam and stop transactions.
- Contact the national identity and cyber support service IDCARE to help you make a plan and limit the damage. Call 1800595160 or visit the website.
- Watch out for follow-up scams. Scammers often come back for more.
While scammers’ tactics may keep changing, the habits that will help protect you remain the same: remember to pause, check who you’re dealing with, stay on trusted platforms, secure your accounts, and act quickly if something goes wrong.
You can use the Meta Scam Protection Centre to report scams on Facebook and Instagram and learn how Meta takes action to keep people safe. If you think you’ve been scammed, you can also report it to Scamwatch.
