Help & support
We’ve partnered with Jessica Rowe and her mum, Penelope, who reflect on the importance of having conversations about scams and sharing when things don’t feel right.
Scammers gain your trust by developing a relationship that seems genuine. Often meeting online, you may believe you’re speaking with a romantic partner, friend, or relative. However, their true goal is to steal money or personal information—sometimes even building trust with gifts before asking for money months later.
Tip: Never send money or gifts to someone you only know online.
Scammers may pretend to be from organisations like banks, technology companies or government agencies. They might call, email or even visit your house in person, asking for identification documents, cards, cash, PINs, passwords or cheques.
Tip: CommBank will never ask for banking information like your NetBank passwords, PINs or NetCodes and we’ll never visit you to ask for cards or cash. If you’re unsure, stop communication and contact us for help.
Scammers entice you with the promise of high returns, often involving cryptocurrency, term deposits or other investment opportunities.
Tip: If an investment opportunity seems too good to be true - it probably is. Double check any investment opportunities with a trusted financial advisor.
A scammer may contact you, pretending to be from a well-known company and attempt to access your accounts or device. They usually ask you to download software on your computer or mobile device to gain control.
Tip: If you receive an unexpected phone call, text or email about your computer and are asked to provide remote access, hang up or delete it immediately—even if they mention a well-known company.
Share these 3 simple steps: Stop. Check. Reject.
Does a call, email, text or person seem off? The best thing to do is stop. Take a breath. Real organisations won’t put you under pressure to act instantly.
Ask someone you trust to get a second opinion or contact the organisation the message claims to be from. If available, always use a trusted method to contact the organisation (for example: the CommBank app).
If you’re unsure; hang up on the caller, delete the email, block the phone number and change your passwords.
If someone visits you in person, report it to the police.
Tip: Create a support team of people you trust. This might include close friends, family members, or peers.
If you’re contacted about access to your devices, hang up or delete the message immediately.
If you think you’ve been scammed, follow these steps to help protect yourself.
Ceba can help you lock your card or securely connect you to a specialist in the CommBank app.
Fast-track your call, see expected wait times and connect with a specialist in the CommBank app.
Send us a copy or screenshot if you receive a hoax email or SMS.
