Sydney: The number of scams reported by Australians fell in the first six months of 2025, but financial losses rose, according to government data.

According to Namibia Press Agency, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) reported that its Scamwatch service received 108,305 reports of scams in the first half of 2025, marking a 24 percent decline from the same period in 2024. Despite the decrease in the number of reported scams, Australians experienced an increase in financial losses, totaling 174.8 million Australian dollars (113.5 million U.S. dollars), which is a 26 percent rise compared to the first half of 2024.

The ACCC highlighted a significant 40.5 percent increase in reported scams involving financial losses between 2024 and 2025. Although the average reported loss decreased by about 10 percent to 12,212 Australian dollars (7,933.7 U.S. dollars), the impact of scams remains considerable. Notably, the rise in reported scams was more pronounced among Australians who speak English as a second language, with a 44 percent increase, and among Indigenous Australians, with a 55.3 percent increase.

Shopping scams were the most reported type of scam involving financial loss, with over 6,300 incidents in the first half of the year. ACCC Deputy Chair Catriona Lowe emphasized the growing trend of scammers targeting individuals on websites and social media platforms, urging people to verify sellers or offers to prevent financial losses.

Losses related to phishing scams reached 19.5 million Australian dollars (12.6 million U.S. dollars) during the first six months of 2025. The ACCC attributed part of this increase to a rise in cryptocurrency impersonation scams.