Are possums dangerous

No. Possums are not dangerous.

The possum is unlikely to attack a human being unless it feels it is left with no other choice. The possum is giving away both height and reach and knows it is likely to come off worse in a fight with a human. Usually it will 'play dead' if it is caught unawares. The best advice is to go along with the possum's game and leave the little chicken alone safe in the knowledge he knows who's boss. That way nobody gets bitten.

Clarification:

Only the North American opossum plays dead.

True possums - the marsupials found in many parts of Australia - do not play dead, but they will scratch or bite if cornered. They are very docile creatures and just want to be left alone. If trapped, like any other animal, they become scared for their life and will defend themselves. Other than that, just give them a way out and they will take it. There is no reason to ever fear a possum. They are a very clean, disease free animal, although they are known to harbour ticks and fleas, and pose more of a danger to domestic pets than to people.

Incidentally, the "playing dead" strategy is not a choice - it is a physiological defence over which the opossum has no control. It is not trying to show anyone "who's boss" - it is an instinctive defence mechanism.