ASIC Launches Public Directory of Licensed Firm Websites in Fight Against Scams

​The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) is building a public list of website addresses used by licensed financial firms. The initiative aims to help consumers distinguish legitimate brokers and super funds from fraudulent clone operations. ASIC is collecting the web addresses of Australian financial services licensees for publication on its free Professional Registers Search database.

This move targets the growing problem of criminals copying the names, license numbers, and websites of genuine firms to create fake sites and run authentic-looking investment scam ads. It marks a tactical shift for ASIC, which has spent the past two years focused on taking down scam sites, removing over 10,000 fraudulent pages since 2023. The new verified list provides a public reference point for legitimate websites.

More than 6,500 licensees have been invited to submit their website details since the program began in early May. The register will display a licensee's principal and additional sites, or indicate if a firm has no website or has not yet provided details. Consumers can search by company name, ABN, ACN, or license number.

ASIC's action follows repeated impersonation of its own brand, including scammers cloning its Moneysmart consumer site. Since late 2023, roughly 20% of new Moneysmart investor alerts have involved impersonation of a licensee or registered company.

This whitelist approach differs from many global regulators who primarily publish blacklists of fraudulent sites. ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland stated, "We may consider using compulsory powers to achieve a complete register, if required." Participation is currently voluntary, but ASIC is encouraging public pressure on non-participating firms.

The scale of the problem is significant. ASIC reported that Scamwatch and ReportCyber logged 60,657 scam reports in Q1 2026, with losses exceeding A$248.3 million. The regulator's enforcement actions jumped 50% in its last reporting year, with nearly 7,000 scam sites removed.

The effectiveness of the register will depend on firm participation and adoption by consumers and platforms. ASIC aims for digital and social media platforms to integrate the register into their financial advertising vetting processes, significantly expanding its reach.