Outsmart the scammers

Protect yourself, your family and your finances from scams with smart habits and simple tools.

Sponsored by Norton

Scams are getting more advanced by the day—but so are the tools that can stop them. "As scams evolve and AI makes them harder to spot, we’re advancing our technology to stay ahead," says Dean Williams, Principal System Engineer, APAC at Norton. "But we can’t do it alone—stay alert, stay informed, and together we can outsmart the scammers."

What is social engineering? 

It sounds technical but social engineering simply means tricking someone into handing over personal information. Instead of hacking your devices, scammers manipulate your emotions. It might be a fake message from your "bank", a text from a "friend" or a "delivery" that needs payment. These scams play on trust, fear or urgency—and they’re alarmingly effective.

321 attacks per second¹
86% of all attacks are social engineering scams¹

Know the signs

Scammers often use language that creates a sense of panic: "Your account has been locked," "You owe money," "Click this link now." They’ll pretend to be someone you trust, like a family member, colleague or even your internet provider. If something feels off, pause and check. And if you run a small business, ensure your team is aware of threats like invoice scams, fake domain renewals and fraudulent payment requests with training and the right protections.

Talk to your family

Young people are often active online but may not spot red flags and seniors can be targeted by scammers due to a belief they’re more susceptible. Chat with your kids about safe sharing on social media and help older family members recognise scams. One good rule for all ages: if you wouldn’t say it to a stranger, don’t post it or reply online.

Smarter scams demand sophisticated solutions

With the rise of AI, scammers are using cutting-edge tools to create phishing emails, fake texts and deepfake videos. Norton’s advanced AI-powered protection is designed to outsmart them.

  • Safe SMS detects and blocks scams in text messages. 
  • Safe Web inspects webpages where you browse and shop to identify hidden scams. 
  • Deepfake Protection detects deepfakes (AI-generated content) in videos. 
  • Private Browser blocks phishing scams and helps keep your browsing more private. 
  • Norton Genie Assistant is an AI-powered personal assistant that helps you identify scams. 
  • Scam Protection Dashboard shows how Norton is shielding you, spots common patterns and stores anti-scam tools. 

Norton 360 is available at Harvey Norman, JB HI-FI and Officeworks. 

To learn more, visit au.norton.com 

Things you should know

Norton Life Lock Australia Pty Ltd, ABN: 59 085 397 100.

1Gen Q4/2024 Threat Report, gendigital.com/blog/insights/reports/threat-report-q4-2024

An earlier version of this article was published in Brighter magazine.

This article provides general information of an educational nature only. It does not have regard to the financial situation or needs of any reader and must not be relied upon as personal financial product advice. The views expressed by contributors are their own and don’t necessarily reflect the views of CBA. As the information has been provided without considering your objectives, financial situation or needs, you should, before acting on this information, consider what is appropriate for your circumstances, and where appropriate, consider the relevant Target Market Determination, Product Disclosure Statement and Terms and Conditions available on our website. You should also consider whether seeking independent professional legal, tax and financial advice is necessary. Every effort has been taken to ensure the information was correct as at the time of printing but it may be subject to change. No part of the editorial contents may be reproduced or copied in any form without the prior permission and acknowledgement of CBA.