How to protect yourself from financial scams and identity theft
Managing our finances online has brought real convenience, from banking and superannuation to investing, shopping and everyday payments. Yet as more of life moves online, scams are becoming harder to spot.
In 2026, fraudsters are using artificial intelligence, stolen data and highly targeted tactics to make emails, phone calls, messages and websites look genuine. The reassuring news is that a few simple habits can go a long way towards protecting your money, personal information and identity.
Why scams are becoming harder to spot
Scam emails used to be easier to spot. They often had spelling mistakes, odd links or unusual requests.
Today, scams can look and sound much more convincing. Some use familiar logos, natural language, copied voices or even fake videos to seem genuine.
A helpful question to ask is not just “does this look legitimate?” but: “Have I checked this another way?”
If someone asks you to transfer money, share information or click a link, it is worth pausing and checking before you act. Check by calling a number you already know or can find publicly online, rather than using the information provided in the communication, however official it looks.
How scammers are using AI
Artificial intelligence is useful in many parts of everyday life, but scammers are also using it to make their messages more believable.
They may use AI to:
- Create convincing phishing emails
- Clone the voice of a family member or trusted contact
- Produce fake investment promotions and advertisements
- Impersonate financial institutions or government agencies
- Generate realistic-looking websites and login pages
This could be a phone call that sounds like someone you know, a text that appears to be from your daughter, your bank, or an investment offer that looks professional.
Even when something looks convincing, it is still okay to stop and check.
Protecting your superannuation and investments
Your superannuation and investments may be among your most important financial assets. That is why scammers may try to target them.
Take extra care if you receive an unexpected message or call about:
- Accessing your superannuation early
- Rolling over your super to another fund
- Investment opportunities promising guaranteed returns
- Requests to confirm account details
- Urgent instructions requiring immediate action
A few simple steps can help protect your wealth:
- Enable multi-factor authentication on your super and investment accounts
- Use strong, unique passwords and avoid birthdates of family members
- Never share login credentials
- Contact your FMD adviser or your fund directly if you receive an unexpected request
If you are unsure about an investment opportunity, always check with your adviser before transferring money.
Protecting yourself and your family
Scams can affect anyone, at any age or stage of life. Older Australians may be targeted because they often have more savings, while younger family members may see more scams through social media, online shopping or text messages. A practical family conversation can help everyone feel more confident about what to do.
You might talk about:
- How family members should verify unexpected requests for money
- Who to contact if something feels suspicious
- The importance of not acting under pressure
- How to protect personal information online
It can also help to keep up with the latest scams doing the rounds. Scamwatch tracks current scam alerts and practical guidance, and you can sign up for updates through their website. You can also take their scam sense quiz to see how scam-aware you are.
Simple habits that improve your security
- Use multi-factor authentication wherever possible
- Multi-factor authentication gives your accounts an extra layer of protection when you log in.
- Even if someone gets your password, this extra step can help keep them out.
- Use a password manager
- It can be hard to remember different passwords for every account.
- A password manager, such as LastPass (which our FMD team uses) can create and store strong passwords for you, so you do not have to remember them all.
Think before you click
Take extra care with:
- Unexpected links
- Urgent requests
- Attachments from unknown senders
- Messages creating fear or panic
- Offers that seem too good to be true
If you are not sure, pause and check.
Review your online presence
Your social media profiles may show more about you than you realise. Keeping personal details private can make it harder for scammers to learn about you and your family.
What to do if you think you've been targeted
Even careful people can be caught by a convincing scam.
If you think your information or money may be at risk:
In the first 24 hours
- Contact your bank or financial institution
- Change relevant passwords immediately
- Enable multi-factor authentication where available
- Notify any affected organisations
- Alert your FMD adviser
In the following days
- Monitor bank and investment accounts closely
- Review recent transactions
- Replace compromised cards if necessary
- Check whether your identity information has been exposed
- Seek professional support if required
Most importantly, please do not feel embarrassed. Scammers are professionals, and their tactics are designed to catch people off guard. Asking for help quickly can reduce the impact.
How FMD helps protect you
Protecting your personal information is an ongoing responsibility, and it is something we take seriously every day. While no organisation can remove every risk, knowing your circumstances helps us recognise when something seems unusual. If we receive a digital instruction from you related to your accounts or funds, we will contact you personally to check before we act.
You can also contact us if you are unsure about:
- An investment opportunity
- A request to transfer money
- Superannuation withdrawal instructions
- An email claiming to come from a financial institution
- Unexpected contact from someone claiming to represent FMD
If something does not feel right, please pause and call us first.
A final thought
Scams will keep changing, but you can keep building important habits that help protect you.
The best protection is knowing when to pause, check and ask for help. One of the benefits of having a relationship with your FMD adviser is knowing you have someone to call if you’re ever unsure. Whether it is an unusual email request, or a phone call about your Superannuation or investments that doesn’t feel right, your adviser can help you pause, check and decide what to do next.
General advice disclaimer: This article has been prepared by FMD Financial and is intended to be a general overview of the subject matter. The information in this article is not intended to be comprehensive and should not be relied upon as such. In preparing this article we have not taken into account the individual objectives or circumstances of any person. Legal, financial and other professional advice should be sought prior to applying the information contained on this article to particular circumstances. FMD Financial, its officers and employees will not be liable for any loss or damage sustained by any person acting in reliance on the information contained on this article. FMD Group Pty Ltd ABN 99 103 115 591 trading as FMD Financial is a Corporate Authorised Representative of FMD Advisory Services Pty Ltd AFSL 232977. The FMD advisers are Authorised Representatives of FMD Advisory Services Pty Ltd AFSL 232977. Rev Invest Pty Ltd is a Corporate Authorised Representative of FMD Advisory Services Pty Ltd AFSL 232977.