Hey Lifehacker, I have information about some scammers I would love to pass on. Who is the relevant body to contact? Thanks, Scam Hunter
Busted scammer picture from Shutterstock
Dear SH,
It depends on the nature of the scam. For scams without a specific identifiable individual, head straight to the ACCC SCAMwatch service and fill out the online form. You can also call the organisation on 1300 795 995.
If you’d like to receive feedback on the matter being reported, the ACCC recommends using its phoneline service as opposed to the online form. (Due to the high volume of reports, the ACCC is not always able to reply to the latter.)
Other relevant bodies include:
- The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (for financial and investment scams)
- The Australian Taxation Office (for tax-related scams)
- The Australian Communications and Media Authority (for email scams)
- ASSI International (for scams involving fake or counterfeit goods)
You can also find a list of each state’s consumer protection agencies via the aforementioned SCAMwatch website.
If you’re a personal victim of the scam, you could also try contacting the commercial platform on which the scam took place. For example, eBay has its own eBay Resolution Center where you can report scams on its website. Similar services are available on the majority of online auction sites.
For serious scams, you can also contact the Australian School of Security and Investigation (ASSI), or Crimestoppers (Ph: 1800 333 000).
Cheers
Lifehacker
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Comments
One response to “Ask LH: Where Should I Report Scammers?”
“If you’d like to receive feedback on the matter being reported, the ACCC recommends using its phoneline service as opposed to the online form. (Due to the high volume of reports, the ACCC is not always able to reply to the latter.)”
Surely that’s a massive misallocation of resources? I would have thought it’d be easier to keep people updated on an online system (possibly through a automatic means) rather than tell them to call.