Scammers text, email, or even send a calendar invite claiming you've just spent $300 to $2,000 on a phone or crypto purchase, with a number to call before the "charge" goes through. Calling puts you straight through to a scammer asking for bank details or remote access. Don't call — check any real purchase by logging into your account directly.
How does the fake purchase callback scam work?
You get a message — by text, email, app notification, or sometimes even a calendar invite — saying you've just bought something. The amount is usually between $300 and $2,000, and it's often tied to something believable: a new phone, a software subscription, or a cryptocurrency purchase. The message may include your actual name, email, or address, which makes it feel legitimate even though scammers can often source these details from data breaches or public records rather than any real link to your accounts.
The message tells you the charge will go through — or the money will be taken — unless you call a number, usually within a short window. That urgency is the point. It's designed to get you dialling before you've had a chance to stop and think.
If you call the number, you're talking to the scammer, not a real business. They'll usually do one of two things: ask for your bank or card details so they can "process a refund," or talk you through installing software that gives them remote access to your device. Either way, the goal is the same — get access to your money.
Why is this scam so easy to fall for?
This scam works because it doesn't ask you to believe anything unusual — it just asks you to react to a normal, slightly stressful situation: "someone spent your money." Most people's instinct is to sort it out immediately, and that's exactly the instinct the message is built to exploit. The fact that it can arrive as a text, an email, or even a calendar invite also means it doesn't rely on one channel — so being wary of unexpected texts alone isn't enough.
How does Scam SafeGuard fit in?
Scam SafeGuard checks links against known scam and phishing sources, including Google's Web Risk threat data, and warns you when something looks suspicious. (We are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, Google.) It's designed to be one extra layer of protection alongside habits like the Stop, Check, Protect steps above — it helps flag risky links, but the safest response to an unexpected "you bought this" message is still the same: don't call the number, check directly through your own accounts instead.
Red flags to watch for
- A purchase you don't recognise, for an amount high enough to worry you but not so high it seems unbelievable.
- A phone number in the message itself, with instructions to call it directly.
- Time pressure — anything implying you only have minutes or hours to act.
- A request for bank details "to issue a refund." Real businesses don't need your card number or online banking login to reverse a charge you didn't authorise.
- A request to install software so someone can "fix the problem" on your device — that's a remote-access request, not a refund process.
What to do
- Stop. Don't call the number in the message, and don't share financial details. There's no real deadline — the pressure is manufactured.
- Check. Log into your bank app or the retailer's app or website directly, the way you normally would — never using a link or number from the message.
- Protect. If you've already called the number, shared bank details, or installed anything, contact your bank straight away and report it to Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
Frequently asked
How does the fake purchase callback scam work?
You get a message — text, email, app notification, or even a calendar invite — saying you've just bought something, usually $300 to $2,000 for a phone, software, or crypto. It includes a number to call before the charge goes through. Calling puts you straight through to a scammer, not a real business.
What's the biggest red flag in a fake purchase message?
A phone number in the message itself, with instructions to call it directly, rather than a prompt to check your account through the app or website you normally use. Real businesses don't ask you to call an embedded number to stop a charge.
What should I do if I get a fake purchase message?
Don't call the number or share financial details. Check any real payment by logging into your bank or retailer account directly, the way you normally would. If you've already called, shared details, or installed anything, contact your bank and report it to Scamwatch.
Sourced from Scamwatch, National Anti-Scam Centre: alert, published 14 July 2026.
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