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The government has announced the rollout of another scam campaign aimed at decreasing scam losses and establishing actionable and effective strategies.
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Government bolsters scam education to deter fraudsters
14 January 2025
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7 minute read
The new Fighting Scams campaign has been launched by the government to further educate Australians on how to identify and avoid scams.
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The campaign was set to run until 22 March 2025 and would include both TV and social media adverts.
Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones said the Fighting Scams Campaign would equip Australians with simple, actionable strategies to guard against scams.
“This campaign is critical to arming Australians with tools and tips to keep their money safe from scammers. Anyone can be a target of a scammer, so whether you’re 20 or 65, everyone should stay scam alert,” he said.
“The Albanese government has made scams a priority because we get the financial and emotional turmoil victims face and we want to rid Australia of this scourge.”
The government revealed the aim of the campaign was to increase awareness and action three simple steps to keep Australians vigilant against scams.
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The three steps – stop, check and protect – were established within the campaign to encourage all Australians to conduct thorough checks and assessments of all online actions and sharing of information.
It was noted the government’s goal was to create a comprehensive plan that resulted in Australia being the toughest target in the world for scammers.
Jones said this campaign would help keep people’s money safe with the three-step prevention strategy having already shown early signs of success.
“The Albanese government’s Scams Prevention Framework is a vital next step and will ensure Australia is the toughest target for scammers,” he said.
“The government’s legislation will put obligations on banks, social media companies and telcos to prevent scams or face hefty fines and compensation for victims.”
The National Anti-Scam Centre (NASC) said it would make Australia a tougher target for scammers by arming Australians with the tools they needed to deter fraudsters.
According to Scamwatch data, reported scam losses dropped by over 40 per cent in the 2023–24 financial year in comparison to the previous year.
Data also found Australians had been losing billions of dollars to scams every year as criminals often targeted businesses and consumers through fake emails, phone calls, text messages and social media.
ACCC deputy chair Catriona Lowe said building community resilience to scams was crucial in an environment where criminals were increasingly turning to new technologies to effectively deceive innocent people.
“Australian consumers have told us that it sometimes feels like scams are everywhere and inevitable. This campaign will emphasise that we’re not powerless to scammers. When we’re alert, we’re in control,” she said.
“By stopping and checking when we’re unsure, then reporting scams we’ve seen, we can protect ourselves and others against financial harm.”
“This campaign is about inspiring the behavioural change in every Australian - ensuring we stop and check before acting on that suspicious email, phone call, text message or social media post – that will stop scammers in their tracks.”
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