Scam Victimisation Rate Stays Steady at 2.6% in Australia
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A recent survey has revealed that the scam victimisation rate in Australia remains steady at 2.6%, with many Australians falling prey to various types of scams.
Scam Victimisation Rate by Age Group
According to the Multipurpose Household Survey, approximately one in every 38 people (2.6%) experienced a scam in the past 12 months. The survey found that the victimisation rate varied significantly across different age groups:
- Those aged 15-24 years and 25-34 years were less likely to experience a scam compared to older age groups.
- Buying or selling scams affected approximately one in every 100 people (1.0%).
- Information request or phishing scams were the second most common, affecting about one in every 160 people (0.6%).
Types of Scams
The survey found that some types of scams saw a decrease in reported incidents over the past year:
- Information request or phishing scams decreased by 25%.
- Computer support scams declined by 50%.
On the other hand, buying or selling scams and upfront payment scams saw an increase in reported incidents.
Reporting Scam Incidents
The survey revealed that most people who experienced a scam (89%) only encountered one type of scam. However, a significant proportion of respondents did experience multiple types of scams.
- Over two-thirds of respondents (69%) notified or were notified by an authority about their most serious scam incident.
- Females were more likely than males to report their most serious scam incident to an authority, with 75% of female respondents reporting compared to 64% of male respondents.
Identity Theft
The survey found that identity theft affected approximately one in every 100 people (1.0%), with a similar rate reported in the previous year.
- Males and females were equally likely to experience identity theft.
- Over seven in ten respondents (71%) who experienced identity theft notified or were notified by an authority about the incident, with banks and financial institutions being the most common authorities notified.
Online Impersonation
The survey found that online impersonation affected approximately 2.1% of respondents, with males and females experiencing it at similar rates.
- Certain groups were more likely to experience online impersonation, including those with a non-school qualification and those born in Australia.
Conclusion
Overall, the survey highlights the importance of being vigilant against scams and taking steps to protect personal information.