Cyber crime survivor stories & support
You are still here.
You are still online.
Real accounts from people who have been scammed, hacked, or defrauded, and the practical steps that helped them recover. If it happened to you, you are not the only one, and it was not your fault.
“I stopped feeling stupid the moment I read someone else describe the exact call that fooled me. Then I reported it.”
The wall
Stories, in their own words
A fake alert inside my crypto app cost me $28,000
“I'm still reeling from this, but I need to get the story out there because it’s honestly terrifying how easily it…”
One dodgy download and someone was in my accounts by morning
“I’ll just come out and say it: I’m an idiot. I downloaded a file I knew was dodgy, and the internet gods punished me…”
My friend found a Facebook page full of AI deepfakes of her
“last night, i woke up to my friend spam calling me, and when i answered, i immediately heard sobs from the other side.…”
I pirated a game and my PC started opening PowerShell on its own
“Last week I tried to download a pirated game. Shortly after, my Discord account got hacked but I caught it immediately.…”
I clicked a fake Fair Work email and my account emailed our suppliers
“Honestly, I still feel like a total muppet over this. I was the restaurant manager of a massive buffet in Sydney CBD.…”
My data was in the Qantas breach and I was too embarrassed to ask
“I was just informed by our cyber team that my data is part of the Qantas breach. I honestly have no idea what to do or…”
My retired uncle sent 1.5 million shillings to a woman who did not exist
“My uncle just retired from customs and this still hurts to think about because he’s not even someone who uses the…”
A game mod from Discord turned my PC into a spam machine
“This one still messes with me because it started with something that felt harmless. I joined a random Discord server…”
If it just happened
Start here
Clear, calm guides written for the worst day. No jargon, no blame.
Prevention
You're Not Gullible. You're Human.
Why phishing still works today, and why it's not your fault.
Prevention
Set Up 2FA in 5 Minutes
Guide on how to set up two-factor authentication (2FA)
Explainer
Cyber Basics for Small Businesses
A cyber security starter kit for small businesses
Need to report it, or talk to someone?
Where to report cyber crime in your country, how to recover accounts, and where to find real support.