AUSTRAC warns of scammers impersonating the agency and its staff

AUSTRAC has warned the public and regulated businesses to remain alert after identifying cases where scammers impersonated the agency and its staff in an attempt to obtain money or sensitive information. The warning, published on 26 August 2026, describes scammers using emails, phone calls and messages that appear legitimate, sometimes using real staff names or publicly available information, to pressure recipients into making urgent payments or disclosing personal and business details.

AUSTRAC CEO Brendan Thomas said the agency does not contact members of the public unexpectedly demanding payment, and will never request payment in virtual currency, cryptocurrency, or through messaging platforms such as WhatsApp or Telegram. AUSTRAC acknowledged that regulated businesses may legitimately receive invoices from the agency, for example for levies or infringement notices, but said any unexpected request for money or personal information claiming to come from AUSTRAC should be treated with caution and verified through official channels before any payment is made. Mr Thomas noted that as AUSTRAC's public profile has grown, particularly through its role addressing financial crime, scammers have increasingly sought to exploit the trust and authority associated with the agency's name.

This is not the first such warning AUSTRAC has issued, with earlier alerts in 2024 and 2025 describing similar impersonation attempts, and a further detailed warning followed in late September 2026 describing specific scam tactics including impersonation of named investigators. Businesses newly brought within AUSTRAC's regulatory reach, including under recent reforms expanding reporting obligations, are considered a likely target because they now expect legitimate contact from the agency as part of enrolment and compliance processes.