Online Scams & Fraud in Australia

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April 19, 2023

Scams have become increasingly prevalent in Australia over the past few years, with scammers becoming more sophisticated and targeting vulnerable individuals. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), Australians lost a whopping A$3.1bn ($2bn) to scams in 2022. This represents a massive 80% jump in the total amount lost as compared to 2021 with the average amount lost per person standing at A$20,000 ($13,500). The ACCC warns the loss could be higher as not all scams are reported.

Unfortunately, this has led many Australians to suffer significant financial losses and emotional distress. Join us as we explore the key scam trends in Australia, how to report scams, and how to get help for scams in Australia.

Scam Statistics in Australia

The key statistics on online fraud in India, according to the Global Anti Scam Alliance.

  2018 2019 2020 2021
Population 24.6 million 25.3 million  26.6 million 25.7 million
Internet Penetration 88% 88% 85% 82%
# of Scams 177 000 167,800 444,164 (59%) 566,648 (28%)
Scams / 1,000 7 6.6 17.3 22
Money Lost €66.5 million  € 530.8 million € 532 million € 1.22 billion
Money Lost / Capita €2.70 € 20.90 € 20.70 € 44.7
Money Lost / Report   € 3,163  € 1,197  € 2024.4

The figures in the table will differ strongly per year as various sources have been used, pending on availability.

Where Can I report a Scam in Australia?

  • Police: You can also report to your local police station or through Crimestoppers at 1800 333 000. You can also get in touch with the police through 131 444.
  • National Anti-Scam Centre/ScamWatch: The National Anti-Scam Centre has been set up to coordinate government, law enforcement and the private sector to combat scams. It builds on the work of the ACCC’s Scamwatch service.
  • ReportCyber: You can also report a scam to them through their official website which is mainly a consumer & business reporting site. 

How to Report a Scam in Australia

Reporting a scam is crucial. At the moment, only 7% of all scams are reported. As a result, only 0.05% of all cybercriminals are caught. Reporting online fraud is not only essential if you want to try and get your money back. It is also needed to help law enforcement fight scammers better.

  • Gather info: Collect all information about the suspected fraud including the name, telephone, key web pages, emails, IP address, and any other relevant information. This is needed to file a complete report.
  • Report the incident: Always report to your local law enforcement and note the file number they might provide for your fraud report for future reference.
  • Stop the Money: Report the incident to the financial institution that transferred the money such as your bank, Paypal, credit card company, or the Internet payment service provider.
  • Protect yourself: Scammers often contact you again. Sometimes with the same scam. Sometimes to help you “recover your money”. Consider changing your email address/phone number. Also, install the ScamAdviser browser extension to warn you of scams.

Our article “How and Where to Report a Scam” gives you more detail and tips on how you can best report online fraud.

Scam Victim Support in Australia

The Scam Victim Support service is provided by the Australian Cyber Security Centre (ACSC), which is a government agency responsible for managing cyber threats in Australia. Scam Victim Support works in conjunction with the ACSC's Scamwatch program, which provides information and advice to the public about how to avoid scams.

How to check for a Scam in Australia

Of course, you can always check for a scam on ScamAdviser.com. However, there are several other sources where you can check if a website is registered as a company and if it can offer financial, gambling, or other regulated services as well. 

Anti-Scam Organizations & Consumer Authorities

You can click here to check local consumer protection authorities in your area.

Popular Scams in Australia

“Hi Mum” Scams

As the name suggests, these scams involve text messages that most parents receive. The fraudsters disguise themselves as kids who have lost their phones and replaced them with new ones.

The catch is, the phones are said to have been bought using Afterpay which is a buy now, pay later (BNPL) service. The text claims that the bill is due urgently and if left unpaid, late fee charges will be incurred. 

In one case, a woman lost as much as A$8,000 to a scammer who had texted her claiming it was the son. To avoid this kind of scam, always take time before responding as this allows you to be rational.

Scam News From Australia

Image source: pexels.com

Report a Scam!

Have you fallen for a hoax, bought a fake product? Report the site and warn others!

Help & Info

Popular Stories

As the influence of the internet rises, so does the prevalence of online scams. There are fraudsters making all kinds of claims to trap victims online - from fake investment opportunities to online stores - and the internet allows them to operate from any part of the world with anonymity. The ability to spot online scams is an important skill to have as the virtual world is increasingly becoming a part of every facet of our lives. The below tips will help you identify the signs which can indicate that a website could be a scam. Common Sense: Too Good To Be True When looking for goods online, a great deal can be very enticing. A Gucci bag or a new iPhone for half the price? Who wouldn’t want to grab such a deal? Scammers know this too and try to take advantage of the fact. If an online deal looks too good to be true, think twice and double-check things. The easiest way to do this is to simply check out the same product at competing websites (that you trust). If the difference in prices is huge, it might be better to double-check the rest of the website. Check Out the Social Media Links Social media is a core part of ecommerce businesses these days and consumers often expect online shops to have a social media presence. Scammers know this and often insert logos of social media sites on their websites. Scratching beneath the surface often reveals this fu

So the worst has come to pass - you realise you parted with your money too fast, and the site you used was a scam - what now? Well first of all, don’t despair!! If you think you have been scammed, the first port of call when having an issue is to simply ask for a refund. This is the first and easiest step to determine whether you are dealing with a genuine company or scammers. Sadly, getting your money back from a scammer is not as simple as just asking.  If you are indeed dealing with scammers, the procedure (and chance) of getting your money back varies depending on the payment method you used. PayPal Debit card/Credit card Bank transfer Wire transfer Google Pay Bitcoin PayPal If you used PayPal, you have a strong chance of getting your money back if you were scammed. On their website, you can file a dispute within 180 calendar days of your purchase. Conditions to file a dispute: The simplest situation is that you ordered from an online store and it has not arrived. In this case this is what PayPal states: "If your order never shows up and the seller can't provide proof of shipment or delivery, you'll get a full refund. It's that simple." The scammer has sent you a completely different item. For example, you ordered a PlayStation 4, but instead received only a Playstation controller.  The condition of the item was misrepresented on the product page. This could be the