The Australian Securities & Investments Commission (ASIC) has a good website, and you can check your investment firm, financial adviser etc, registration status. Please find attached a link to their website ASIC for-consumers.
In addition, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) also has a great website. The Scamwatch Website is a good place to learn.
All ACCC’s reports including Spot Social Media Scams and Scams targeting Indigenous peoples nearly doubled in 2016 are valuable lessons for all of us.
ACCC have witnessed a sharp increase in scams taking place through social media sites. If someone you’ve met through social media but you’ve never met in person asks you for money, your alarm bells should be ringing. Don’t ever wire transfer or send money to someone you don’t know because you won’t see it again.
Wherever you see an offer that seems more generous than normal, do your research on the company, where the product is coming from, check the company’s website and try and find any reviews about the business before making a purchase. Only pay using secure payment methods such as Paypal or a credit card. If you are buying from a classified website only hand over the money when you have physically inspected the goods. Finally, never open attachments or download files you receive out of the blue—no matter who the email comes from or how legitimate it looks.
ACCC’s website provides a wide range of warnings including Don’t place bets with a scammer this spring racing season, Don’t be lured into binary options scams and scams during the Christmas period (too-good-to-be-true scams holidays, goods that don’t really exist, and fake ‘missed delivery’ notices to potential victims). The tips provided are very helpful and informative.
According to the ACCC, if a deal seems too good to be true, it probably is.