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Securely Research Piece

In the last few years and particularly over the last 12 months, Many Australians have fallen victim to online marketplace scams , making it increasingly difficult for Australians to find trustworthy sellers on online marketplace.

This study aimed to explore people’s experience and behaviours regarding scams, including history of being scammed, reporting scams, and the financial impact of un-reported scams. An 8-question online study was conducted amongst members of a permission based panel. After interviewing, data was weighted to the latest population estimates sourced from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. The study was conducted among 1,000 Australians aged 18 and over. Surveys were distributed throughout Australia including both capital city and non-capital city areas. Fieldwork commenced on Thursday 13th April and was completed on Thursday 20th April 2023. The research also looked at attitudes towards online marketplaces after being scammed.

Key Insights

  • Just over half (52%) of Australians have been scammed in the past, with the average Australian being scammed 1.3 times. – One in twenty (5%) Australians have fallen for a scam 7 or more times
  • 64% of Australians have reported a scam.
  • Almost a third of (31%) Australians have been scammed in the last 12 months, with the average Australian being scammed once (0.8) in the past 12 months.
  • Nearly one in twenty (4%) have been scammed 7 or more times in the past 12 months

40% of Australians have reported a scam to their bank

  • Two in five (40%) Australians have reported a scam to their bank.

-This peaks in Millennials (47%; cf. Gen Z 35%, Gen X 39%, Baby Boomers 37%)

-This increases to over half (56%) of those who have been scammed

  • Only one in five (20%) have reported a scam to Scamwatch.

– This increases with age, with close to a quarter (23%) of Baby Boomers reporting a scam to Scamwatch (cf. Gen Z 15%, Millennials 18%, Gen X 19%)

  • Australians are more likely to report a scam to an online marketplace (19%) than to the police or legal authorities (15%)

– Younger Australians are more likely to have reported a scam to the police or legal authorities (Gen Z 20%, Millennials 18%; cf. Gen X 12%, Baby Boomers 11%)

Two thirds of Australians who have been scammed did not report at least one of the scams they fell for

  • Two in three (66%) Australians who have been scammed did not report at least one of the scams they fell for.
  •  This means over 6 and a half million (6.7mil) Australians have been scammed and didn’t report it
  • The most common reason Australians who have been scammed gave for not reporting a scam was “knowing nothing could be done about it,” (23%).
  • One in six (17%) Australians did not report a scam because of the time and inconvenience involved in the process or because they didn’t know how to report the scam.
  •  Almost a third of Australians who have been scammed and didn’t report it in SA did not know how to report the scam (31%; cf. NSW 18%, VIC 17%, TAS/NT* 11%, QLD 15%, WA 12%)
  • Less than one in ten (8%) Australians who were scammed did not report it because they were embarrassed.
  • However, Gen Z is more than twice as likely to not report a scam they fell for because they felt embarrassed (20%; cf. Millennials 9%, Gen X 3%, Baby Boomers 6%)
  • Over one in eight (13%) did not report a scam because they felt the amount of money didn’t warrant the process of reporting it.

On average, Australians lost $753.50 in unreported scams each

  • Australians who fell for a scam and did not report it lost an average of $753.50.
  • This adds up to a total of just over 5 Billion dollars (5.08 Billion) lost to unreported scams up until this point in Australia
  • On average, Gen X lost the most money to unreported scams ($1,185; cf. Gen Z $521, Millennials $770, Baby Boomers $190)
  •  On average, men have lost over five times as much money to unreported scams as women (Men $1,253; cf. Women $250)
  • The majority (38%) of unreported scams did not result in any money lost.
  • Nearly one in three (31%) unreported scams resulted in $1 to $100 being lost.
  • Just over one in twenty (6%) unreported scams resulted in more than $1,000 being lost.

The most common avenue for scams and attempted scams was through SMS and text message

  • Nearly two in three (65%) Australians have been targeted for a scam through SMS or text message, and slightly less Australians have been targeted through email (62%).
  • Over half (56%) of Australians have been targeted for a scam through a phone call.
  • Three in ten (30%) Australians have been targeted for a scam via social media messaging or through social media marketplaces
  • Younger generations were more likely to be targeted for a scam through social media messaging and marketplaces (Gen Z Messaging 43%/Marketplaces 41%, Millennials 35%/35%; cf. Gen X 30%/30%, Baby Boomers 19%/18%)
  • Women were more likely to be targeted for a scam through social media marketplaces (34%; cf. Men 25%)
  • Three in ten (30%) Australians have been targeted for a scam through social media messaging.
  • Again, this was highest among younger generations (Gen Z 43%, Millennials 35%; cf. Gen X 30%, Baby Boomers 19%)

Over a quarter of Australians were the target of a scam as a seller on a marketplace site

  • Over two in five (42%) of Australians were targeted for a scam as the buyer of goods on a marketplace site.
  • The younger the generation, the more likely they were to have been targeted for a scam as a buyer on a marketplace site (Gen Z 49%; Millennials 44%, Gen X 44%, Baby Boomers 33%)
  • Over a quarter (28%) of Australians have been targeted for a scam as the seller of goods on a marketplace site. – This was most likely to have occurred for Millennials (38%; cf. Gen Z 32%, Gen X 26%, Baby Boomers 17%)

When thinking about their experience with scams, almost all Australians are more sceptical and cautious about trusting others online

  • When thinking about their experience with online scams, almost all (95%) Australians are more sceptical and cautious about trusting others online.
  • Slightly over two thirds (68%) of Australians are less likely to use marketplace sites for buying and selling online when thinking about their experience with scams.
  • Over half (52%) of Australians felt their experience with scams had an impact on their emotional wellbeing.
  • A third (34%) of Australians say their experience with scams in an online setting has caused them financial distress.

Almost all Australians agree more needs to be done when it comes to combating online scams with almost 60% strongly agreeing

  • Almost all Australians agree more needs to be done when it comes to combating online scams with 59% strongly agreeing.
  • Over 95% (97%) of Australians believe more needs to be done on educating Australians on their digital literacy and over half (53%) strongly agree.
  • Three out of five (60%) Australians trust law enforcement agencies and regulatory bodies to protect them.
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Acknowledgement of Country

The management and staff of Securely Holdings recognises the Kabi Kabi (Gubbi Gubbi), the First Peoples of the land on which we work and reside and their ongoing connection to culture and country. We acknowledge First Nations Peoples as the Traditional Owners, Custodians and Lore Keepers of the world’s oldest living culture and pay respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.

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