Scammers Are Exploiting Australia's New Social Media Age Ban

Australia's social media age-restriction law was always going to create a window of confusion for families adjusting to new rules — and scammers moved into that window almost immediately. According to consumer advocacy group CHOICE, criminals are posing as trusted platforms and organizations, pressuring people into handing over personal details or money under the pretext of "verifying" age.

The two main variants circulating

• Fake account-suspension threats. Messages claim an account will be suspended or a fine issued unless age details are "verified" immediately, with a link to a fake website designed to collect passwords, identity documents, or payment details.
• Fake bypass offers targeting families directly. Some scams offer fake IDs or access to supposedly "age-verified" accounts to get around the restriction — appealing to teens frustrated by the new limits, and to parents looking for a workaround.

The "Hi Mum" scam, recycled for this moment

A well-established scam format — a message pretending to come from a child who's lost their phone and urgently needs money — has been adapted to this new context, with messages claiming a child's account is locked out specifically because of the age-verification change. The underlying mechanic is unchanged (urgency, a plausible family scenario, a request for money or account access), but the age-ban framing gives it fresh credibility with parents who are already uncertain how the new rules actually work.

What to remember

• Legitimate social media platforms do not ask for payments, passwords, or identity documents via text message or email to verify age.
• If a message claims to be from your child, verify through a call or a channel you know is genuinely theirs — not by replying to the number that contacted you.
• Any offer to "bypass" the age restriction through a third party is itself a red flag, regardless of how it's framed.
• Check directly with the platform's own official help center if you're unsure whether a notice about your or your child's account is genuine.

If you've already responded to one of these messages

Change any password that may have been entered on a fake verification page, and enable two-factor authentication where it wasn't already on. Report the scam to Scamwatch — also worth knowing about the record investment-scam losses in Australia this year — and, if identity documents were shared, consider a credit report check for signs of misuse. If money was sent, contact your bank immediately.

FAQs

Do real social media platforms ever ask for payment to verify a child's age?

No — legitimate age-verification processes never require payment, and platforms don't request passwords or identity documents via text message or email.

What is the 'Hi Mum' scam and how does it connect to the age ban?

It's an established scam where a message pretends to come from a child in urgent need of help, usually asking for money. It's now being adapted with messages claiming a child's account is locked due to the new age-verification rules specifically, since that framing feels newly plausible to uncertain parents.

What should I do if I think I've been targeted by one of these scams?

Don't click any link in the message. Verify directly with the platform's official help center, and if you've already entered any details, change your password immediately and report the scam to Scamwatch.

Curious what's already out there? Scan My Shadow checks a phone number and email across 1,500+ sources and sends a clear report — no guesswork, just facts. Start your scan.

Related Reading

• An Australian Investment Scam Victim's Real Story — the biggest scam-loss category in Australia this year.
• Teaching Teenagers About Their Digital Footprint — broader family digital-safety guidance.
• The WhatsApp 'Guess Who' Relative Scam — the same family-impersonation mechanic on a different platform.
• Common Scams Internationally: 2026 Field Guide — the full current global landscape.