Fake ASIC! Scammers Impersonate Australian Financial Regulator to Provide False Information

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) has issued a public warning after discovering scammers posing as ASIC Connect, the regulator's online inquiry service platform.

According to the regulator, the fraudsters used fake websites to lure consumers into providing sensitive information such as personal information, passwords, contact details and payment information. These websites use URLs that closely mimic the ASIC official site, creating confusion and potentially deceiving visitors.

Websites posing as ASIC provide visitors with information about businesses that do not really exist. To make the fraudulent sites appear legitimate, some of them include links directing users to the authentic ASIC website.

The regulator reminds people to double-check that they are browsing the official websites when accessing online services provided by ASIC. The ASIC Connect websites are asicconnect.asic.gov.au and connectonline.asic.gov.au.

Always double-check that the web address is correct before providing personal or sensitive information, especially when manually entering the address.

ASIC also advises people to report any suspicious fake websites to the regulator, providing relevant details and screenshots. The regulator will review reports and ask for further information if necessary.

_{An example of fake ASIC Connect. Source: ASIC}