The Targeting scams report highlights the cooperative work of the ACCC, other regulators and law enforcement agencies to disrupt scams and educate consumers.
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Latest report
This is the first annual report on scams activity released by the National Anti-Scam Centre since it was established on 1 July 2023.
This report provides insight into scams reported by Australians in 2023 and highlights the impact of government and private sector initiatives to combat scams.
Published April 2024
Infographic
Infographic - text version
Losses
Total combined losses reported to Scamwatch, ReportCyber, IDCARE, Australian Financial Crimes Exchange (AFCX) and Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC): $2.74 billion
601,000+ scam reports (an increase of 18.5%)
Combined losses over last 4 years
2020: $851 million
2021: $1.8 billion
2022: $3.1 billion
2023: $2.7 billion
Top 5 scams by loss (combined data)
- Investment scams: $1.3 billion
- Remote access: $256 million
- Romance: $201.1 million
- Phishing: $137.4 million
- Payment redirection: $91.6 million
Successful scam disruption pilots
Government, law enforcement, banks, telcos and digital platforms contributed to:
Sharing data and intel
- Data sharing of scam phone numbers and bank accounts to disrupt scams
- Banks using data and intel to enhance detection
Scam websites and ads
- Over 3,500 investment scam websites taken down
Scam diversion and victim support
- Diverting victims who call scam numbers to warnings and assistance
- Automatic referral of scam victims to IDCARE
Scam payments
- Stopping payments to crypto exchanges used by scammers
- Stopping scam transactions through added frictions
- First bank payee verification
Previous reports
This report explains key trends in scam activity and highlights the impact of scams on the community.
It highlights some of the cooperative work of the ACCC, other regulators and law enforcement agencies, and private sector to disrupt scams and educate consumers.
Published April 2023
This document should be read in conjunction with the Targeting Scams Report 2022.
It contains detailed scam statistics per scam type per state and territory for 2022.
Published April 2023
This report explains key trends in scam activity and highlights the impact of scams on the community.
Published: 4 July 2022
This report explains key trends in scams activity and highlights the impact of scams on the community.
Published: 7 June 2021
This report provides key findings into 2019 scams, as well as insights into scam trends over the decade.
Published: 22 June 2020