Australians lost $2 billion to scams – and are still waiting for new anti‑scam measures to take effect |
Australians lost more than A$2 billion to scams in 2025, new figures from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) show.
This was a 7.8% increase compared to 2024. And it’s in spite of the fact the federal government passed legislation in February 2025 enforcing strict anti-scam obligations on banks, telcos and social media platforms.
Those obligations, however, aren’t yet in force. So what explains the delay? And what can Australians do to protect themselves from scams in the meantime?
Top tactics used by scammers
The National Anti-Scam Centre reported five major types of scam:
Investment: victims are tricked into investing in fake opportunities. This was the top tactic used by scammers, responsible for more than A$837 million in losses last year.
Payment redirection: scammers pose as a supplier or business owner and advise changes of bank account to redirect an invoice payment.
Romance: victims fall for fake profiles and get emotionally manipulated to send money.
Phishing: scammers try to collect sensitive information by impersonating legitimate organisations via calls, texts or email. 5.Remote Access: victims are tricked by scammers to allow access to their smart devices online.
The........