Rental scams, job scams, fake migration agents, and how to verify everything.
International students are specifically targeted by scammers in Australia because they are new, unfamiliar with local systems, and sometimes fear involving authorities. There are four main types of scams targeting students: rental scams, job scams, fake migration agent calls, and bond/deposit fraud. Knowing what these look like and how to verify anything official will protect you — and the LandingPad scams page has specific examples and red flags for each type.
The setup: a room or property is listed at below-market rent on Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, or even real estate platforms. The 'landlord' says they are overseas (missionary, academic, military) and asks you to transfer rent or a deposit by bank transfer before you can inspect. The photos are stolen from real listings. Rule: never transfer any money — including a 'holding deposit' or 'bond' — without physically inspecting the property in person and signing a lease with a licensed real estate agent. If you cannot inspect, ask someone you trust to attend for you.
Fake job ads — often on Facebook groups, WhatsApp, or unsolicited messages — ask you to pay for 'registration fees', 'visa processing', 'uniforms', 'background checks', or 'training materials' before you can start work. Real employers never ask workers to pay money to get a job. The fee is stolen and the job does not exist. Report fake listings to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au and to the platform where they appeared.
Scammers call students pretending to be the Department of Home Affairs, the ATO, or a migration agent. They claim there is a problem with your visa, a tax debt, or an outstanding fine, and demand immediate payment by bank transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency to 'fix' the issue or avoid arrest. The Department of Home Affairs, the ATO, and the Australian Federal Police will never: demand immediate payment by phone, ask you to pay with gift cards, or threaten immediate arrest. Hang up immediately and report to Scamwatch.
A variant of the rental scam: someone poses as a head tenant in a share house and advertises a room. They collect bond and advance rent from multiple people, then disappear — or the room was never available. Always verify that the person you are paying is actually named on the lease (ask to see it) and only pay bond via the official state government bond authority lodgement process — not into someone's personal bank account.
Only trust communications from Australian government websites ending in .gov.au. If you receive a suspicious email, letter, or call claiming to be from a government agency: do not click links in the email, do not call numbers from the message — instead call the agency's official number from their .gov.au website. Check that any migration agent is registered at mara.gov.au before paying them a cent. The MARA register search is free and instant.
The ATO, Department of Home Affairs, and Australian Federal Police do not call demanding immediate payment by phone. They do not threaten to arrest you in the next hour. They do not ask for payment in gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfer. Any caller who does any of these things is a scammer. Hang up immediately, do not engage, and report the call to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au).
Scammers who obtain your TFN can file fraudulent tax returns in your name. Those who get your bank login can drain your account. Passport scans enable identity theft. Only provide these documents to: your employer (TFN only), your bank (in person), or a verified Australian government agency. Never send them via WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook Messenger, or email to someone you met online.
Community-reported examples with red flags and exactly what to do.
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