Australian Investor Rights

Last updated: May 2026

Regulator: ASIC 🇦🇺

Australians reported $2.18 billion in scam losses in 2025, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre — but Australian investors also have real protections available: ASIC regulation, free dispute resolution through AFCA, and strong consumer protection laws for financial products.

ASIC Regulation

ASIC regulates financial services and markets in Australia. Any firm providing financial services must hold an Australian Financial Services Licence (AFSL).

Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA)

AFCA provides free, independent dispute resolution for complaints about financial products and services. It replaced the Financial Ombudsman Service, Credit and Investments Ombudsman, and Superannuation Complaints Tribunal.

  • Free for consumers
  • Covers most financial products and services
  • Can award compensation up to AU$1.085 million against a firm that’s still operating
  • Visit afca.org.au to lodge a complaint

If a firm can’t pay an AFCA award — including due to insolvency — the Compensation Scheme of Last Resort (CSLR) may step in for certain complaint types. See our full Compensation Schemes guide for how AFCA and the CSLR work together.

Managed Investment Schemes

Managed investment schemes in Australia must be registered with ASIC and comply with the Corporations Act. Investors have rights to information, meetings, and complaints.

  • Registered schemes are listed on the ASIC register
  • Responsible entities have specific obligations to investors
  • Investors have rights to call meetings and vote on resolutions

Reporting Fraud

Report investment fraud to ASIC at asic.gov.au/report-a-scam, to Scamwatch (run by the National Anti-Scam Centre) at scamwatch.gov.au, and to the Australian Cyber Security Centre at cyber.gov.au if the scam involved a cyber component.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I check if a firm is licensed to provide financial services in Australia? Search the firm’s name or AFSL number directly at asic.gov.au/check. Never trust a licence number the firm gives you without verifying it yourself on ASIC’s register.

What’s the difference between AFCA and the CSLR? AFCA resolves disputes and can award compensation against a firm that’s still operating. The CSLR only comes into play afterward, if that AFCA award goes unpaid — typically because the firm has become insolvent — and only for specific complaint types (personal financial advice, securities dealing, credit provision, and credit intermediation).

Can ASIC get my money back for me? No. ASIC can investigate and take regulatory or enforcement action against a firm, and your report helps that process, but it doesn’t have the power to recover your individual losses. For that, you’d use AFCA (if the firm is still operating) or the CSLR (if it’s failed and the complaint type qualifies).

What if the firm that scammed me was never AFSL-licensed? AFCA and the CSLR only cover complaints against licensed firms. Report unlicensed operators to ASIC and Scamwatch regardless — reports still help build enforcement cases and can lead to scam websites being taken down, even when individual recovery isn’t available through these channels.

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