Australians receive millions of scam calls every year. The most common type — tech support scams — involve callers pretending to be from Microsoft, Telstra, the NBN, or the ATO, claiming your computer has a problem or you owe money.
This guide covers how to look up an unknown number in Australia, how to tell if a call is a scam, what to do if you answered, and what steps to take if you gave a scammer access to your computer or sent money.
Did a scammer get access to your computer?
Geeks at Door can come to your home, remove remote access software and malware, secure your accounts, and make sure nothing was left behind.
If you missed a call or received a call from an unknown number, these tools can help identify it:
| Resource | Best for |
|---|---|
| White Pages Australia | Official residential and business directory. Good for landlines. |
| WhoCallsMe.com.au | Community-reported database. Scam numbers are flagged quickly by other Australians. |
| Should I Answer (app) | Phone app that shows caller ratings before you pick up. |
| Google search | Search the number + 'Australia' + 'scam'. Often the fastest way to identify a known scam number. |
| Scamwatch (ACCC) | Report and look up scams. Run by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. |
If the number does not appear in any directory, it may be a spoofed number — scammers regularly fake caller ID to show legitimate-looking numbers or even numbers from real organisations like the ATO or Telstra.
Important: A number that looks like it came from Microsoft, your bank, or a government agency does not mean the caller is legitimate. Scammers frequently spoof real phone numbers. Always call back using the number on the official website, not the number that called you.
Hang up immediately if the caller does any of these:
The golden rule: legitimate organisations do not call you out of the blue and ask for remote computer access, gift card payments, or immediate action under threat of arrest or disconnection.
| Scam type | What they claim | What they want | Red flag |
|---|---|---|---|
| Microsoft / Windows Support scam | Your computer is sending errors / has a virus | Remote access via AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or UltraViewer | Microsoft does not make unsolicited support calls |
| NBN scam | Your NBN connection will be cut off | Remote access or payment to fix the line | NBN Co does not contact customers directly or ask for remote access |
| ATO (Tax Office) scam | You owe a tax debt — you will be arrested | Immediate payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency | ATO does not demand immediate payment or threaten arrest by phone |
| Telstra / internet provider scam | Your account has been compromised / line has a problem | Account verification or remote access to fix | Call back your provider using the number on their official website |
| Bank fraud scam | Suspicious activity on your account — act now | Banking login, card number, or transfer to a 'safe' account | Banks never ask you to transfer money to keep it safe |
| Social security / Centrelink scam | Your Medicare or Centrelink number has been misused | Identity verification — name, DOB, Medicare number | Centrelink contacts you by mail for most things, never demands immediate identity proof by phone |
It is always safe to hang up. If the call was genuine, the organisation can contact you again or you can call them back. No legitimate organisation will be offended that you hung up to verify their identity.
If you installed software like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, AnySupport, or UltraViewer and let a caller connect to your computer, act immediately:
Our virus and malware removal service in Adelaide can check your computer, remove any software the scammer installed, and help secure your accounts. If banking details were involved, see our internet banking security inspection in Adelaide.
If you paid a scammer via gift cards, bank transfer, or cryptocurrency:
Cryptocurrency and gift card payments are almost impossible to reverse. Bank transfers have a slightly higher chance of recovery if reported immediately. Do not send any additional money — scammers often call back posing as fraud investigators offering to recover your money.
Reporting scams helps authorities track patterns and warn other Australians. Even if you did not lose money, reporting the number helps add it to community scam databases faster.
If a scammer gained access to your computer or you are worried about what they may have done, our technicians can come to your home and help.
We can help with:
See our virus and malware removal service in Adelaide and internet banking security inspection in Adelaide. We also offer online remote help if you need guidance immediately while waiting for a home visit.
Worried about a scam call?
Geeks at Door can check your computer for malware and remote access software, help secure your accounts, and advise on next steps after a scam call.
Pricing starts from
$160
Final pricing depends on the task and is confirmed in advance.
The main free reverse phone lookup tools for Australia are: the White Pages website (whitepages.com.au), the Australian reverse phone directory at 1800 numbers lookup, and community-driven scam databases like WhoCallsMe.com.au and Should I Answer (app). If the number is a scam, it will often appear in user-reported databases within hours of being used. You can also search the number on Google — add 'Australia' or 'scam' to get relevant results.
Common signs of a scam call: the caller says your computer has a virus or is sending out errors, they claim to be from Microsoft, Telstra, the NBN, or the ATO, they ask for remote access to your computer, they demand payment via gift cards, iTunes vouchers, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer, they create urgency or panic, or they ask for personal or banking information. Legitimate companies do not call you out of the blue and ask for remote access or gift card payments.
Hang up immediately. Do not press any numbers, do not engage with the caller, and do not call back the number they give you. If you are unsure whether an organisation is genuinely contacting you, hang up and call the organisation back using a number from their official website — not the number the caller gave you.
Disconnect from the internet immediately (unplug the network cable or turn off Wi-Fi). Change your passwords — especially email, internet banking, and any accounts you had open. Contact your bank immediately if you entered any financial details during the call. Run a full antivirus scan. Consider having a professional check the computer for malware, remote access software, or keyloggers that may have been installed.
The Microsoft scam involves a caller claiming to be from Microsoft, Windows Support, or a similar-sounding department. They say your computer is sending out error messages or has been hacked. They ask you to install a remote access program (like AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or UltraViewer) so they can 'fix' the problem. Once they have access, they steal data, install malware, or demand payment. Microsoft does not make unsolicited support calls.
Scammers pose as NBN Co or your internet provider, claiming your connection will be cut off or that there is an issue with your line. They ask for remote access to your computer or payment to fix the problem. NBN Co does not contact customers directly about faults — your internet provider does. NBN Co will never ask for remote computer access or payment by gift card.
Callers claim to be from the Australian Taxation Office and say you owe a tax debt that must be paid immediately or you will be arrested. They demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer. The ATO does not demand immediate payment by phone, does not threaten arrest, and does not ask for gift card payments. If you receive this call, hang up and report it to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au).
Yes. Report scam calls to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au (run by the ACCC). You can also report to the Australian Cyber Security Centre (cyber.gov.au) if you gave the scammer computer access, and to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au/report) for cybercrime. Your bank should also be notified if any financial information was shared.
Yes. If a scammer gained remote access to your computer, our technicians can come to your home, check for installed malware or remote access software, remove it, secure your accounts, and advise on next steps. We can also help reset your device and check that no data was stolen or credentials compromised.