Online Scams & Virus… What to do?

June 27, 2021

Falling victim to an online scam, virus or other internet nasty can be frustrating and unpleasant, but help is always available.

Follow these steps to protect yourself from further harm:

Where to get general IT help

Subscribe to the ACSC Alert Service to receive easy to understand advice about the latest internet threats, scams and other risks and how they can be recognised and addressed.
Your local computer store or repairer may be able to identify any hardware or software issues with your device.
Your Internet Service Provider (ISP) – the company you pay for your internet – can inform you of known service outages and issues that may affect your access to emails and web pages, including spam.
Your banking, shopping and financial institution websites usually post details of known security threats and alerts. Use the website’s search function if the information isn’t easy to find.

	Office of the eSafety Commissioner helps Australians have safer online experiences through a range of prevention, education and early intervention measures. The eSafety Office provides Australians with a place to report:serious cyberbullying targeting Australians under 18image-based abuse offensive and illegal content.
	Be Connected is an Australian government initiative to help older Australians build their confidence, skills and security. The program includes online learning resources and a network of community partners who can offer in-person support to help you improve your digital skills.
	ThinkUKnow, run by the Australian Federal Police, is an online safety program delivering interactive training to parents, carers and teachers through schools and organisations across Australia. ThinkUKnow helps equip young people with online safety skills to help them enjoy more of the positives of the digital landscape and minimise the harm caused by negative aspects.

Please note: The following advice has been provided by the Australian Government and was true and correct as of 10:41 17/06/2021 to ensure you are seeing the most up-to-date advice, you can see this information at: https://www.cyber.gov.au/acsc/individuals-and-families/recover-and-get-help

	Contact your bank. If you’ve sent money or personal banking details to a scammer, contact your bank immediately. Most big banks will cover any loss if someone makes an unauthorised transaction on your account, as long as you have protected your client number and passwords.
	Recover your identity. If you think you’ve been the victim of identity theft, act quickly. For advice, contact IDCARE on 1800 595 160 or use their free Cyber First Aid Kit to help you work out what to do.
	Report scams to Scamwatch. Scams can be reported to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Scamwatch.
	Seek advice and support for scams that impersonate Services Australia brands like Centrelink, Child Support, Medicare and myGov. If you have given personal information to a scammer pretending to be any of these brands, contact the Services Australia Scams and Identity Theft help desk on 1800 941 126 or email reportascam@servicesaustralia.gov.au
	Sextortion. If a blackmailer is threatening to reveal intimate images of you online, do not give in to their demands. Report it to the Office of the eSafety Commissioner.
	Report to authorities. If you have been a victim of a cybercrime such as fraud, report it to ReportCyber.
	Recover when things go wrong. Read our guides to help you get back up and running.