Australians Lose $175 Million to Scams in First Half of 2025

Australians reported losses of nearly $175 million to scams in the first six months of 2025, according to new figures from the National Anti-Scam Centre's Scamwatch service. While the 108,305 scam reports represented a 24% drop from the same period last year, the total value of losses increased by 26%.

The agency highlighted a worrying trend: fewer people reported scams, but a higher proportion of those cases involved financial harm. Demographic groups were unevenly affected, with reported losses rising by 44% among individuals with English as a second language and 55.3% among First Nations Australians.

Online shopping scams emerged as the most damaging type, accounting for more than 6,300 loss reports, as criminals set up convincing fake websites and promoted fraudulent deals. Phishing scams, particularly those involving cryptocurrency impersonation, were another driver of losses, totalling $19.5 million.

The Centre urged consumers to scrutinize online offers carefully. "Scammers are creating realistic-looking platforms to lure victims with deals that appear too good to be true," Scamwatch warned in its advisory.

Despite the rise in losses this year, the total remains 39% lower than in early 2023, when scam-related financial harm peaked. The average loss per victim stood at just over $12,000, down about 10% compared with 2024.