With Australians losing $2.74 billion to scams in 2023, it is clear many of us are still falling for the ever-growing list of sneaky tactics being used by cybercriminals to steal our money.
However some fall victim more than others, according to Westpac, and it all depends on where we live.
New data gathered by the bank has revealed the most scammed postcodes across the country, determined by reports from customers between January 2022 and April 2024.
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Australia-wide, the postcodes with the most scam cases were: 2170 (Liverpool, NSW), 3029 (Tarneit, VIC), 2250 (Gosford, NSW), 2560 (Campbelltown, NSW) and 3030 (Werribee, VIC).
In Queensland, postcodes 4350 (Toowoomba) and 4870 (Cairns) recorded the most cases while residents in SA’s Morphett Vale (5162) and Happy Valley (5159) fell victim to scams the most in that state.
While the number of cases was higher in states with larger populations, Westpac said the rate of scams was highest in WA and Queensland.
A total of 3.6 and 3.5 scams were reported per 1000 customers in those states respectively.
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The top types of scams resulting in the biggest financial losses for Australians were investment scams, business email compromise scams, remote access scams, romance scams and impersonation scams.
The data also found that 61 to 75-year-olds were the most likely to succumb to a scam, with people in this age bracket making up almost 32 per cent of all reported cases.
Westpac’s head of fraud prevention Ben Young said scammers and their tactics were constantly evolving.
“Our data shows scammers aren’t letting location limit what they do, with impacts seen in all corners of the country,” he said.
“The current scamdemic we’re facing is widespread.
“We’re finding scammers are having the biggest impact in communities with increasing economic activity, or those with ageing populations.”
There are a number of things people can do to protect themselves from scams, according to Westpac.
These simple actions include never giving out your personal or financial information to someone you don’t know and never clicking on links in unsolicited emails or text messages.
You should also always be wary of deals or offers that seem too good to be true — they most likely are.
“Phone a family member or friend if you’re unsure about anything,” Westpac said.
Postcodes with most scam cases:
- Australia-wide: 2170 (Liverpool), 3029 (Tarneit), 2250 (Gosford), 2560 (Campbelltown), 3030 (Werribee)
- New South Wales: 2170 (Liverpool), 2250 (Gosford), 2560 (Campbelltown), 2145 (Greystanes), 2259 (Hamlyn Terrace)
- Victoria: 3029 (Tarneit), 3030 (Werribee), 3977 (Cranbourne), 3064 (Craigieburn), 3150 (Glen Waverley)
- Queensland: 4350 (Toowoomba), 4870 (Cairns), 4215 (Southport), 4217 (Surfers Paradise), 4211 (Nerang)
- Western Australia: 6210 (Mandurah), 6112 (Armadale), 6163 (Hamilton Hill), 6065 (Landsdale), 6530 (Geraldton)
- South Australia: 5162 (Morphett Vale), 5159 (Happy Valley), 5114 (Craigmore), 5108 (Salisbury), 5290 (Mount Gambier)
- Australian Capital Territory: 2615 (MacGregor), 2617 (Belconnen), 2611 (Coombs), 2913 (Ngunnawal), 2602 (Lyneham)