What to Do After Receiving a Suspicious Phone Call
Introduction
Receiving a suspicious phone call can be stressful, especially when the caller sounds professional, knows some of your details, or claims to represent a trusted organisation. In Australia, scam callers commonly impersonate banks, courier companies, telcos, government agencies, police, technical support teams, investment providers, and well-known businesses.
The safest first step is to end the conversation. Do not follow the caller’s instructions, click links they send by text, install remote access software, approve payments, read out verification codes, or provide more personal information. Once you are off the call, you can check the situation calmly through official channels.
Scamwatch advises that if a caller claims to be from a bank, company, or government agency, you should ask for their name, ask if you can call back, and then use a trusted phone number from a source such as a bank statement, bank card, official website, or phone book listing. It also notes that scammers typically try to keep people on the phone, while a legitimate service provider should be willing to receive a call back.
This guide explains what to do after receiving a suspicious phone call in Australia, how to verify the caller, what steps to take if you already shared information, and where to report the incident.
Step one: end the call safely
If the call feels suspicious, you do not need to keep talking. Scam callers often rely on pressure, fear, or confusion to keep people engaged. The longer the call continues, the more opportunities the caller has to persuade you to share details, approve an action, or make a payment.
Do not argue with the caller or try to prove they are a scammer. Simply stop the conversation. You can say, “I will contact the organisation directly,” then hang up. If the caller tells you not to hang up, says the matter is urgent, or claims you will be in trouble if you disconnect, treat that as a warning sign.
| During the suspicious call | Why it matters | Safer action |
|---|---|---|
| The caller asks you to stay on the line. | Scammers may try to stop you from checking independently. | Hang up and verify through official contact details. |
| The caller sends a text message link. | The link may lead to a fake login page, payment page, or malware. | Do not click it. Use the organisation’s official website or app instead. |
| The caller asks you to install software or share your screen. | Remote access can expose your device, accounts, and banking information. | Do not install anything. End the call immediately. |
| The caller asks for a code sent to your phone. | One-time codes can be used to reset passwords, approve payments, or access accounts. | Never read out verification codes to an unexpected caller. |
| The caller asks for payment or bank transfer. | Urgent payment requests are a common scam tactic. | Do not pay. Contact your bank or the claimed organisation directly. |
Step two: do not use the caller’s contact details
After hanging up, do not call back using a number provided by the caller, a number in a suspicious text message, or a link sent during the call. Scammers may provide fake contact details that lead back to them or to another person involved in the scam.
If the caller claimed to be from a bank, courier company, telco, government agency, insurance provider, software company, or support team, find the organisation’s contact details yourself. Use an official website, mobile app, bank card, statement, invoice, printed customer service information, or a trusted directory.
Scamwatch specifically recommends calling the contact number listed on a trustworthy source rather than relying on details supplied by the caller.
| Caller claimed to be from | Do not rely on | Use instead |
|---|---|---|
| Your bank | The number the caller gave you, a text link, or caller ID. | The number on your bank card, banking app, statement, or official website. |
| A courier company | A payment link or tracking link sent by the suspicious caller. | The courier’s official tracking page or official customer support number. |
| A telco or internet provider | A remote access link, app download, or phone number supplied during the call. | The provider’s official website, app, bill, or customer service line. |
| A government agency | Threats, payment links, or numbers given by the caller. | The agency’s official website or published contact centre. |
| Police | The caller’s instructions to stay on the line or keep the matter secret. | Call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444 for non-emergency police matters, or Triple Zero (000) if there is immediate danger. |
| Technical support | Software download instructions or screen-sharing requests from the caller. | The official support channel of the company or a trusted local technician. |
Step three: make a short record of what happened
Before you forget the details, write down what happened. This can help your bank, service provider, police, Scamwatch, or another reporting agency understand the incident.
You do not need a perfect record. A few useful details can be enough to support follow-up action, especially if money, identity information, account access, or device access was involved.
Date and time: when the call happened.
Displayed phone number: the number that appeared on caller ID, even though caller ID may not be reliable.
Claimed organisation: the bank, courier, telco, agency, police unit, or company the caller claimed to represent.
Caller name or reference number: any name, badge number, case number, order number, or reference they provided.
What they asked for: payment, codes, passwords, remote access, personal details, identity documents, or account information.
What you shared or clicked: include any information, links, apps, payments, or approvals involved.
Step four: verify the claim directly
If the call may relate to a real issue, verify it directly with the organisation. This is especially important if the caller mentioned account security, a parcel, a tax matter, a payment, legal action, a service outage, or a support ticket.
When you contact the organisation, explain that you received a suspicious call and want to check whether it was genuine. A real organisation should be able to confirm whether they contacted you, whether there is a real issue, and what safe next steps are available.
| Claim made by caller | How to verify safely | What not to do |
|---|---|---|
| “Your bank account is at risk.” | Call your bank using its official fraud or customer support number. | Do not transfer money, approve transactions, or read out codes. |
| “Your parcel needs a redelivery fee.” | Use the courier’s official tracking tool and official support details. | Do not click payment links from a suspicious text or call. |
| “Your internet or device has been hacked.” | Contact your provider or trusted technical support directly. | Do not install remote access software or share your screen. |
| “You owe tax or a government payment.” | Log in through the official agency website or call the agency directly. | Do not pay through gift cards, crypto, unusual bank accounts, or caller-provided links. |
| “This is Police and you are under investigation.” | Call the Police Assistance Line (131 444) to check. Use Triple Zero (000) only if there is immediate danger. | Do not hand over money, banking details, or keep the call secret. |
If you already shared information
If you shared card details, verification codes, passwords, identity information, banking access, or remote access, act quickly. Scamwatch advises victims of financial scams, credit card scams, or identity theft to contact their bank immediately, because the sooner the bank knows, the better the chance of recovering money or reducing further loss.
Do not wait to see whether money disappears. The safest approach is to assume the information may be misused and secure the affected accounts as soon as possible.
| What happened | Immediate action | Who to contact |
|---|---|---|
| You shared card details, bank login details, PINs, passwords, or verification codes. | Contact your bank immediately. Ask them to secure your account, block cards if needed, review recent transactions, and stop payments where possible. | Your bank’s official fraud or customer support team. |
| You approved a payment or transferred money. | Contact your bank immediately and explain it may be a scam. Keep records of the transaction and the caller’s details. | Your bank, and police if fraud has occurred. |
| You shared a one-time code or authentication prompt. | Change the affected account password, sign out of all sessions if possible, remove unknown devices, and contact the account provider. | The affected bank, email provider, social media platform, or service provider. |
| You installed remote access software or shared your screen. | Disconnect the device from the internet, stop using it for banking or email, uninstall remote access tools if safe, and seek trusted technical help. | Your bank, trusted IT support, and relevant account providers. |
| You shared identity details such as passport, driver licence, date of birth, address, or tax file number. | Monitor accounts, secure email and banking access, and seek guidance on identity protection steps. | Scamwatch, the relevant agency, your bank, or other affected service providers. |
| You clicked a suspicious link but did not enter information. | Close the page, do not download anything, and monitor the device and accounts. If you entered details, treat them as compromised. | The affected service provider, or trusted technical support if malware is possible. |
Securing your accounts after a suspicious call
After a suspicious call, especially one involving codes, passwords, banking, or remote access, secure your accounts from a trusted device. If you think your phone or computer may be compromised, use another device that the caller has not accessed.
Change passwords for affected accounts. Start with banking, email, cloud storage, social media, shopping accounts, and any account connected to payment methods.
Use unique passwords. If the same password was reused elsewhere, change those accounts too.
Turn on two-factor authentication. Use app-based authentication where available, but never share codes with callers.
Check account recovery settings. Remove unknown email addresses, phone numbers, devices, or recovery methods.
Review recent activity. Look for unfamiliar logins, transactions, forwarding rules, changed settings, or new devices.
Update devices. Install legitimate security updates and remove suspicious apps or remote access tools.
Scamwatch warns that scammers may ask people to provide remote access to a device or read out a code sent to their phone. It also explains that scammers can spoof caller ID, meaning the number displayed on your phone may not be trustworthy.
Where to report a suspicious phone call in Australia
Reporting helps protect other people and may help agencies identify scam patterns. The right reporting channel depends on what happened.
| Situation | Where to report or get help | Useful details to include |
|---|---|---|
| You received a suspicious or fraudulent phone call. | Scamwatch or the relevant organisation being impersonated. | Phone number displayed, time of call, claimed organisation, and what the caller asked for. |
| You lost money or fraud occurred. | police and your bank. | Transaction details, account involved, caller details, messages, and any reference numbers. |
| The incident is non-urgent but may be criminal fraud. | Report online through cyber.gov.au or call the Police Assistance Line on 131 444. | Use the Police Assistance Line (131 444) for non-emergency police matters. Call Triple Zero (000) if someone is in immediate danger. |
| You received scam texts or spam messages linked to the call. | The ACMA. | The ACMA says spam SMS can be forwarded to 0429 999 888 (standard message charges apply). |
| The call involved online account access, device compromise, or cyber security risk. | ASD's ACSC (cyber.gov.au) guidance. | Account affected, device affected, links clicked, software installed, and actions taken. |
| The caller impersonated Police. | police. | Caller name, claimed badge or case number, number displayed, and what they requested. |
What not to do after a suspicious call
Do not call back using the suspicious number. Use official contact details you find yourself.
Do not click links sent by the caller. Go directly to the official website or app.
Do not delete evidence immediately. Keep messages, call logs, transaction details, and screenshots if reporting may be needed.
Do not ignore it if money or sensitive information was shared. Contact your bank or account provider quickly.
Do not keep the incident secret because you feel embarrassed. police has noted that there is no shame in reporting fraud, and reporting may help prevent further harm.
Do not continue using a potentially compromised device for banking. If remote access was granted, use a separate trusted device until the affected device is checked.
Practical response checklist
Use this checklist after any suspicious phone call in Australia.
| Action | When to do it | Completed? |
|---|---|---|
| Hang up and stop contact with the caller. | Immediately if the call feels suspicious. | Yes / No |
| Do not click links, install apps, share codes, or make payments. | Immediately. | Yes / No |
| Write down the number, time, claimed organisation, and what was requested. | As soon as possible after the call. | Yes / No |
| Contact the organisation through official contact details. | If the caller claimed to represent a real organisation. | Yes / No |
| Contact your bank immediately. | If money, cards, banking details, codes, or payment approval were involved. | Yes / No |
| Change passwords and secure accounts. | If passwords, codes, links, device access, or identity details were involved. | Yes / No |
| Report the incident. | If it was a scam, fraud, impersonation, or caused loss or account risk. | Yes / No |
Practical takeaways
After receiving a suspicious phone call, the safest response is to stop, verify, secure, and report. Do not let the caller control the next step.
End the call if something feels wrong.
Do not follow instructions from the caller, especially links, payments, software downloads, or code requests.
Contact the claimed organisation directly through official contact details.
If banking information, card details, passwords, or verification codes were shared, contact your bank or account provider immediately.
If remote access was granted, stop using that device for sensitive activity until it has been checked.
Report scams and fraud to the appropriate Australian organisation so others can be protected.
The core rule is simple: once a call feels suspicious, take the conversation away from the caller. Hang up, verify through an official channel, and act quickly if any sensitive information or money was involved.
References
- Scamwatch: Phone scams
- Scamwatch: What to do if you've been scammed
- Scamwatch: Stop. Check. Protect.
- ASD's ACSC: Learn about scams
- ASD's ACSC: Recover from scams
- ASD's ACSC: Submit a report
- Australian Federal Police: Report a crime
- Scamwatch: Report a scam
- ACMA: Dealing with spam
- Scamwatch: Types of scams
Author / Editorial Team
This article was prepared by our editorial team to help Australian users respond safely after receiving a suspicious phone call. It combines guidance from Australian consumer protection, cyber safety, police, banking, and online safety sources with practical steps for verifying calls, securing accounts, and reporting incidents.
Scam tactics change over time, so this guide should be treated as general safety information rather than legal, financial, or technical incident advice. If you believe you have lost money, shared sensitive information, or given someone access to your device or accounts, contact your bank, the relevant service provider, police, Scamwatch, or another appropriate Australian agency as soon as possible.
