Bank Impersonation and Safe-Account Scams in Australia
How callers posing as Australian bank fraud teams and police convince victims to move funds to a 'safe account' — with reporting routes through Scamwatch, ReportCyber, and AFCA.
Part of: Fake Police Scams
Last reviewed: 1 June 2026
Safe-account scams involve a caller posing as a bank's fraud team, the Australian Federal Police, or ASIC — warning that the victim's account has been compromised and that funds must be moved to a 'safe account' immediately. The 'safe account' is controlled by the scammer. This scam is particularly insidious because it mimics a genuine fraud-prevention call: the urgency, the official-sounding organisation, and the instruction to act quickly all replicate the experience of a real bank fraud alert.
Australian banks and the ACCC's Scamwatch have issued repeated warnings about this pattern. This guide covers the specific Australian variants — including impersonation of the major banks (ANZ, NAB, Commonwealth, Westpac), the AFP, and ASIC — and the correct reporting routes for Australian victims.
How this scam works on Australia
The call arrives with a spoofed caller ID that matches the victim's bank's genuine phone number, making it appear legitimate. The caller claims to be from the bank's fraud team and says suspicious transactions have been detected on the account. They create urgency: the account will be drained unless the victim acts immediately.
The solution offered is always to transfer funds to a 'secure account' set up in the victim's name — or to withdraw cash and hand it to a 'police officer' or 'bank security agent' who will come to the home. Both actions result in funds going directly to the scammer.
In some variants, the caller transfers the victim to an apparent 'Australian Federal Police officer' who reinforces the urgency and threatens legal action if the victim does not cooperate. The mention of the AFP is specifically designed to trigger compliance.
Australian banks — ANZ, Commonwealth, NAB, Westpac — have all published explicit statements that they will never ask customers to move funds to a 'safe account' or send someone to collect cash at their home. The ACCC's Scamwatch records this as one of the highest-loss scam categories in Australia.
Common red flags
- An unexpected call claiming to be your bank's fraud team saying your account is compromised
- A caller ID that matches your bank's genuine number — this can be spoofed
- Instruction to transfer all funds to a 'safe account' or a 'temporary account' they have set up
- A follow-up call from an 'AFP officer' urging compliance with the transfer
- Any claim that you must not tell branch staff or other family members about the transfer
- A bank 'security agent' who offers to come to your home to collect cash
How to protect yourself
- Hang up and call your bank back on the number on the back of your card or from their official website — do not use the number the caller gave you
- No Australian bank will ever ask you to move money to a 'safe account' — this instruction always signals fraud
- Ask a trusted person in your life before acting on any instruction to transfer large sums — scammers specifically instruct victims not to do this
- Use a different phone to call your bank if you are unsure whether the caller may still be on the line on the original call
- Enable transaction alerts on your bank account so you are notified of any unusual activity through the official bank app
How to report it
- Report to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au — include details of the spoofed number and the account transfer requested
- Report cybercrime elements to ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au/report-a-cybercrime
- If a transfer was made, contact your bank's fraud team immediately and ask about the ePayments Code reimbursement provisions
- Lodge a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) at afca.org.au if your bank refuses to reimburse an APP fraud loss
- Report the spoofed number to the ACMA (Australian Communications and Media Authority) at acma.gov.au
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my money back if I transferred to a safe account scammer?
Contact your bank's fraud line immediately. Under Australia's ePayments Code, banks may be required to reimburse customers who were not negligent. If your bank declines, lodge a complaint with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA) — AFCA can require banks to reimburse customers in appropriate cases. Document everything: the call details, the spoofed number, and all transaction records.
Why does my caller ID show my bank's real number if it's a scammer?
Caller ID spoofing allows a caller to display any number they choose. Scammers routinely spoof bank and government numbers to pass the first credibility check. Receiving a call from what appears to be your bank's number is not proof that the bank is calling. Always hang up and call back on a number you source independently.