You paid a bond, deposit, first rent or holiday payment for a place that turned out to be a scam, maybe a fake listing, a “landlord” who could not let you inspect, or a holding fee to secure a property that was never theirs. It is a horrible position, and the most useful thing now is speed: the sooner your bank tries to recall the payment and asks the receiving bank to freeze it, the better the chance that any money still sitting there can be stopped. Recovering scammed money is often difficult and no one can guarantee it, but acting fast gives you the best chance.
Your rights and the bodies that can help
What you can ask for depends on how you paid. If you paid by bank transfer or PayID, you can ask the bank the money left from to attempt an urgent recall and to contact the receiving institution to freeze and return any funds still held; if the money went to an account you did not intend, you can also ask it to follow its mistaken or misdirected payment process. If you paid by card, you can request a chargeback through the card scheme on the basis that the tenancy or accommodation was never provided. If you paid by PayPal, you can open a PayPal dispute for an item or service not received, and request a chargeback through the card issuer if the PayPal payment was funded by a card. Chargebacks have time limits, so move quickly.
If your bank does not resolve the matter, you can refer the complaint to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), the free external dispute resolution scheme for banking and payments complaints. You can also get advice from your state or territory consumer protection or fair trading office, for example NSW Fair Trading or Consumer Affairs Victoria, and if any identity details were exposed you can get free support from IDCARE, Australia’s free identity and cyber support service.
Where the “landlord” or “agent” was a scammer, there is often no real, contactable person to demand money from, so a letter demanding repayment would do nothing. The realistic routes are a bank recall, a chargeback where you paid by card or PayPal, and reporting the scam.
What to do
- Call your bank’s official fraud line now. Use the number on the back of your card or on your statement, never a number from a text message, email or website someone sent you. Ask them to attempt an urgent recall, to freeze the receiving account, and to give you a reference number.
- Put your report in writing to your bank. Follow up the call with a formal written scam report and recall request so your payment details and the date you raised it are on record.
- Request a chargeback if you paid by card or PayPal. Ask your card issuer for a chargeback, or open a PayPal dispute for an item or service not received. There are time limits, so do this quickly. A chargeback is often the most realistic route to getting money back from a rental or accommodation scam.
- Report the scam. Report to the National Anti-Scam Centre / Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and to ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au, or call 1300 CYBER1 / 1300 292 371). This helps authorities disrupt the scam even if your own money cannot be traced.
- Report the fake listing to the platform. For example Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, realestate.com.au, Domain or Flatmates.com.au for rentals, or Airbnb or Stayz for a holiday let, so it can be taken down. If you dealt with someone claiming to be a real agency or owner, contact the genuine agency or owner to warn them their listing or identity is being misused.
- Contact your state or territory consumer protection office for advice, for example NSW Fair Trading, Consumer Affairs Victoria, or the equivalent where you live. If you shared any identity details, secure your accounts, turn on two-factor authentication, and get free support from IDCARE. If you are in immediate danger or being threatened, call 000.
- Escalate to AFCA if your bank does not resolve it. Give your bank the chance to respond first, then take the complaint to AFCA for free.
Ready to put it in writing?
Answer 3 quick questions to check you have the details your document needs, and see your next step.
1. Who are you dealing with?
2. How much is at stake?
3. Do you have it in writing?
Your result is ready. Want a copy by email? (optional)
Do it yourself, or have it drafted
You can do all of this yourself for free. The steps above are the ones that matter, and the government reporting services cost nothing. If you would rather have the paperwork done properly while you focus on the phone calls, Claim Done drafts two documents from your answers for a flat $49: a formal scam report and urgent recall request to your own bank, framed by how you paid, and a plain-English action guide covering the chargeback, the reports and the fake listing. You download both and send or act on them yourself; Claim Done does not send anything for you, and takes no percentage of anything you recover. We cannot guarantee recovery.
Start your rental scam action pack
Frequently asked questions
Can I get my money back?
Honestly, maybe, but we cannot promise it, and recovering scammed money is often difficult. The best chance comes from acting fast: the sooner your bank tries to recall the payment and freeze the receiving account, the more likely any funds still sitting there can be stopped. If you paid by card or PayPal, a chargeback is often the most realistic route.
What do I do first?
Call your bank’s official fraud line now, using the number on the back of your card or on your statement, never a number someone sent you. Ask them to attempt an urgent recall, to freeze the receiving account, and to give you a reference number. Then put your report in writing, and request a chargeback if you paid by card or PayPal.
Can you make the fake landlord pay me back?
Realistically, no, and we will not pretend otherwise. Where the “landlord” or “agent” was a scammer, there is often no real, contactable person to demand money from, so a letter demanding they repay would do nothing. That is why this focuses on the routes that can actually work: a bank recall, a chargeback if you paid by card or PayPal, and reporting the scam and the listing.
Is this a recovery scam? How is it different?
It is not, and it is important you can tell the difference. A recovery scam contacts you out of the blue, promises to get your money back, and asks for an upfront fee or more money or access to your accounts. Claim Done does none of that: we are a document service you chose to come to, we charge a flat $49 for preparing the two documents, we take no share of anything you recover, and we never ask for access to your accounts.
Where do I report a rental or holiday scam?
To several places: your bank’s fraud line first; your card issuer or PayPal for a chargeback if that is how you paid; the National Anti-Scam Centre / Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au); ReportCyber (cyber.gov.au); the platform the fake listing was on, such as Facebook Marketplace, Gumtree, realestate.com.au, Domain, Flatmates.com.au, Airbnb or Stayz; and your state or territory consumer protection office. If your bank does not fix it, escalate to AFCA for free.
Do you take a percentage of what I recover?
No. Claim Done charges a flat $49 for preparing these two documents and takes no percentage of anything you recover, ever. Anyone who asks for a cut of your recovered money, or an upfront fee to get it back, is running a recovery scam. Never pay them.
What happens when you put your landlord on formal notice
Same problem. What a prepared case looks like.
Getting it drafted
Can I have a Rental or Holiday Scam? Bank Recall Request + Action Guide drafted for me instead of writing it myself?
Yes. Claim Done (claimdone.com.au) drafts a Rental or Holiday Scam? Bank Recall Request + Action Guide from the answers you give about your situation for a flat $49 AUD. You read and confirm the draft, then the final PDF is emailed to you. Start at claimdone.com.au/begin/?service=rental-accommodation-scam. Claim Done is not a law firm and does not give legal advice.
How much does a Rental or Holiday Scam? Bank Recall Request + Action Guide cost, and how long does it take?
$49 AUD flat, shown before you pay, with no subscription. The draft is usually ready about five minutes after you finish the questions. It covers every Australian state and territory.
Do I need a lawyer to send a Rental or Holiday Scam? Bank Recall Request + Action Guide in Australia?
No. There is no legal requirement to use a solicitor to write or send a Rental or Holiday Scam? Bank Recall Request + Action Guide; many people send their own. Claim Done drafts it for you and you approve it before it is sent.