From 25–29 August 2025, Australia marks Scams Awareness Week — an annual campaign led by the ACCC’s Scamwatch to help people Stop. Check. Protect. before handing over their money or personal information.
This year’s focus is on empowering Australians to recognise red flags and act before it’s too late.
At Azupay, safety is built into our payment solutions. With PayID and PayTo, we help businesses and consumers transact faster, smarter, and with greater protection against scams.
📖 Learn more about Scams Awareness Week:
Scamwatch – Scams Awareness Week 2025
1. Why PayID and PayTo Offer Safer Ways to Pay
PayID
- Lets you pay using an easy-to-remember identifier (email, phone number, or ABN) instead of a BSB and account number.
- Built on the New Payments Platform (NPP), it confirms the recipient’s name before you pay — reducing the risk of sending money to the wrong person.
- Instant settlement means funds arrive straight away, not days later.
PayTo
- Enables pre-authorised, secure, and automated payments directly from a bank account.
- Every PayTo agreement must be approved in your online banking before money moves.
- You can view, pause, or cancel agreements at any time — giving you more control over your money.
📖 More about PayID & PayTo:
2. Strengthening Payments Safety with Industry Initiatives
Confirmation of Payee (CoP)
CoP is a new industry safeguard that works alongside PayID to help stop mistaken and fraudulent payments.
Before you send a payment, CoP checks the name you’ve entered against the account holder’s actual name, letting you see if they match. This extra layer of verification makes it harder for scammers to trick you into paying the wrong person.
📖 Learn more:
ConnectID
ConnectID is Australia’s digital identity solution that allows you to prove who you are without oversharing your personal information. By only sharing what’s necessary, it helps reduce the risk of identity theft — one of the most common ways scammers gain access to accounts and commit fraud.
📖 Learn more:
3. Common Scam Tactics Involving PayID
PayID is designed to make payments safer and simpler — but like any technology, scammers look for ways to exploit it, often targeting people selling items online. Here are some of the most common tactics being reported:
- The “business account upgrade” scam
A scammer pretends to send you money via PayID, then claims your account needs to be “upgraded” to receive it. They may even send a fake confirmation email that looks official. National Australia Bank (NAB) warns that scammers “push online sellers to use PayID, then cite the need for a ‘business account’ — a tactic to trick you into paying a fee that doesn’t exist” (NAB News).
- Fake overpayments
Fraudsters send a forged payment receipt showing they’ve “accidentally” overpaid, then pressure you to refund the difference. Of course, the original payment never actually went through. This classic overpayment trick remains one of the most common ways scammers exploit PayID.
- Impersonation and urgency
Scammers create a sense of pressure, often posing as serious buyers or using fake PayID messages to rush you into action. Some victims report receiving official-looking “PayID support” emails that instruct them to make payments themselves before money can be released.
- The impact of these scams is far from small. According to SBS News and ABC reporting, Australians lost more than $260,000 to PayID scams in 2022 alone and that’s just one year, covering one type of scam. (ABC News)
📖 Scam examples:
4. How to Stay Safe
Follow the Stop. Check. Protect. approach recommended by Scamwatch:
Stop – Don’t rush into a payment. Take time to think.
Check – Verify payment requests through official contact channels.
Protect – Never send money or share personal details if you’re unsure.
With PayID, PayTo, CoP, and ConnectID:
- Remember: PayID is always free — there are no upgrade fees.
- Verify names: Use PayID’s name display and CoP’s account name check to ensure you’re paying the right person.
- Approve carefully: Only approve PayTo agreements you recognise.
- Protect your identity: Use ConnectID to verify yourself securely without oversharing.
- Use trusted platforms: Avoid sharing your payment details with strangers online.
📖 More safety tips:
5. How Azupay Helps Keep You Safe
Our solutions are designed with security and transparency at their core:
- Real-time confirmation for every payment.
- Integrated name-checking before funds are sent.
- Control over payment authorisations through PayTo agreements.
- Support for industry safeguards like Confirmation of Payee and ConnectID to strengthen scam prevention.
When you choose Azupay, you’re choosing more than speed — you’re choosing peace of mind.
Conclusion
Scams are becoming more sophisticated, but the tools to fight them are in your hands.
This Scams Awareness Week, take a moment to Stop. Check. Protect.
Pay the safer way with PayID, PayTo, CoP, and ConnectID.
Be safe. Azupay.
