Rafe Berding discusses rising cyber threats on ABC Radio.
In this segment, AUCyber joins ABC Radio to discuss why Australia is one of the most scammed countries in the world. Rafe Berding discusses with Narelle Graham the rising tide of scams, from reward points fraud to phishing schemes, as more Australians move their lives online.
Australia consistently ranks among the highest-targeted nations for scam activity relative to population size. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Scamwatch reports billions in losses each year — and that figure captures only what is reported. Many victims, ashamed or unsure of how to proceed, never come forward.
Why Australia is One of the Most Scammed Countries in the World
Several factors combine to make Australia a disproportionate target:
- High digital adoption: Australians are among the world's most connected consumers, conducting the majority of their banking, shopping, and government interactions online.
- Strong currency and high household wealth: The financial reward for successfully scamming an Australian is greater than in many other markets.
- Trust in institutions: Australians tend to trust calls and messages from organisations that appear legitimate — a quality that scammers actively exploit.
- Geographic isolation: With fewer face-to-face touchpoints for some services, Australians are more accustomed to handling matters remotely, making phone and online scams easier to execute.
Key Scam Categories Affecting Australians
Reward Points and Loyalty Fraud
Loyalty programs — from supermarket points to frequent flyer accounts — have become a significant target. Criminals access accounts through credential stuffing or phishing, then drain points balances by converting them to gift cards or transferring them to third-party accounts. Victims often do not notice until their balances disappear.
Phishing and Impersonation Scams
Government agency impersonation — fake myGov, ATO, and Medicare messages — is rampant. These messages create alarm, such as warnings that your account has been suspended, and direct victims to convincing fake websites that harvest credentials and personal information.
Investment and Cryptocurrency Scams
Australians lost record sums to investment scams in recent years. These scams often begin with genuine-seeming contact on social media or dating apps, gradually building trust before encouraging victims to invest in fraudulent platforms that vanish along with the funds.
Remote Access Scams
Scammers posing as telecommunications or computer support companies convince victims to install remote-access software, then use that access to steal banking credentials or transfer funds directly.
What Australia is Doing About It
The Australian Government has introduced the Scams Prevention Framework, placing obligations on banks, telcos, and digital platforms to detect, disrupt, and respond to scam activity. The framework builds on existing initiatives such as the SMS Sender ID Register and number blocking programs. However, Rafe Berding emphasises that regulation alone cannot solve the problem. Consumer education, improved identity verification, and greater cross-sector intelligence sharing remain essential components of a durable response.
How to Protect Yourself from Scams
- Verify unexpected contact independently — call the organisation back using a number from their official website.
- Never install remote-access software at someone else's request.
- Treat any unsolicited investment opportunity with extreme scepticism, regardless of how credible it appears.
- Check your loyalty and rewards account balances regularly and enable alerts for unusual activity.
- Report scams to Scamwatch (scamwatch.gov.au) and the ACSC (cyber.gov.au).
Listen to the full segment on ABC Radio SA Regional Drive.
