SCM · 1 · at home, while booking
Scams that start before you leave
A holiday rental or room that doesn’t exist
Scamwatch warns that scammers pose as landlords for rental and holiday properties, advertising places that do not exist or that they do not own, then making excuses about inspections and asking for money in advance. Smartraveller adds that around major events scammers set up fake websites and profiles, post fake ads for rooms on real sites, and sell ticket and accommodation packages that are not real.
Consumer Affairs Victoria suggests being wary of anyone who advertises on a booking platform and then asks you to pay them directly: pay outside the platform’s own payment process and you may lose access to its dispute resolution.
A website that looks like the real thing
Scamwatch’s checks for a website include searching its name with the word “scam” or “review”, looking for several dashes or symbols in the address, or a name that imitates a real business, checking for contact details, and looking up an ABN on ABN Lookup. It also warns not to assume the first search result is the official site.
A prize trip you never entered for
Scamwatch describes travel prize scams that ask you to pay to claim a free or discounted holiday from a competition you did not enter, then ask for card and bank details. Scammers may claim to be from well-known businesses such as airlines or hotel chains. Its rule: “Don’t pay a fee to collect winnings or a prize.”
A visa or passport message that wants money
Smartraveller warns that some third-party websites charging a fee to lodge a visa application are scams, and suggests applying through links recommended by the embassy or consulate of the country you are visiting. The Australian Passport Office lists what it will never ask for in an unsolicited message, including clicking a link (other than an email you are expecting, such as a password reset), paying to release information or fix an account, remote access to your device, or gift cards.
SCM · 2 · on the road
Scams that wait at the destination
Smartraveller describes common scams that affect travellers overseas. A selection, in brief:
| Scam | How it works | What Smartraveller suggests |
|---|---|---|
| Taxis | Unlicensed drivers at airports and tourist spots offer flat fares that usually cost more than the meter, or a cheap tour that ends at shops paying them a commission. | Use licensed taxis from the official rank, and agree the fare or ask about the meter before you get in. |
| Vehicle hire | Operators of jet skis, motorbikes and cars claim you damaged the vehicle, demand large sums, and may hold your passport until you pay. | Photograph existing damage before you ride, and never leave your passport as a deposit. |
| Overcharging | Wrong change, inflated prices, or food you did not order added to the bill. | Learn the currency, ask for a menu with prices, and check your change. |
| Card skimming | Card details copied by a tampered ATM, a card taken out of sight, or an RFID reader nearby. | Keep the card in sight, use ATMs inside banks, and keep your PIN separate. |
| QR codes | Fake payment codes in car parks and stations, or stickers over a venue’s real code. | Check for stickers, check the web address, and be wary of a site asking for payment details first. |
| Carrying a bag | Someone asks you to take a package across a border or on a flight; it may hold drugs or other illegal items. | Never carry a bag for someone you have just met. |
The full list, including pickpocketing distractions and massage or tea ceremony scams where some Australians have been assaulted for refusing to pay, is on Smartraveller’s scams page.
SCM · 3 · the people at home
Scams aimed at your family while you are away
Smartraveller warns that scammers may contact your family or friends while you travel with a believable story that you have been kidnapped, injured or arrested, sometimes using your own social media posts, or AI-made fake photos, video or audio of you, and then ask for money. Some take over your email or social accounts and message people you know asking for money to get home or replace a phone.
Its suggestion is to tell family where you are going, agree a security question with them that only you would know the answer to, and stay in regular contact. Scamwatch’s description of the “Hi Mum” message is similar: a family member with a new phone who urgently needs money.
SCM · 4 · if it happens
What to do first
Overseas
- Get yourself safe, away from the person or place.
- Report it to the local police and ask for a police report.
- Contact your bank to block cards, and your travel insurer.
In Australia
- Contact your bank or card provider straight away and ask it to stop any transactions.
- Report the scam to Scamwatch, and to police through ReportCyber.
- IDCARE, Australia and New Zealand’s national identity and cyber support service, can help you make a plan for free.
Scamwatch says one in three scam victims are scammed more than once, so be wary of anyone who offers to get your money back. Smartraveller is blunter about one thing: do not travel overseas to try to recover money from a scammer, because victims who have done so have been threatened, and some killed.
A booking that turns out to be a real business behaving badly, rather than a scam, is a consumer complaint: the complaints guide covers that, and your rights when travel is cancelled covers refunds.