ASIC Builds ‘White List’ of Real Broker Websites to Beat Scammers

Australia’s corporate regulator is fighting investment fraud with a new tactic: a public list of legitimate financial firm websites.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) announced on Wednesday that it is collecting the web addresses of all licensed financial services providers and publishing them on its free online register. Consumers can search by company name or licence number to check whether a broker or super fund is genuine.

The move comes after years of chasing fake sites. Since 2023, ASIC has removed more than 10,000 fraudulent pages – about 130 a week. But scammers keep cloning real firms’ names and licence numbers to run convincing investment ads. So instead of only tearing down fakes, ASIC now gives the public a verified “white list” of the real ones.

More than 6,500 licensees have been asked to submit their website details since May. The register will show a firm’s main site and any additional addresses. Participation is voluntary for now, but ASIC Commissioner Alan Kirkland said the regulator “may consider using compulsory powers” if needed.

The push is urgent. In the first three months of 2026 alone, Australians reported over 60,000 scams with losses of A$248 million. ASIC hopes the new register, combined with its takedown efforts, will help both investors and social media platforms spot fakes before money changes hands.