Scam Vulnerability According to Age, Chinese-Australian Scams, Parcel Frauds, and Ask Dr Lacey

What scam are you most likely to fall for based on your age?

Who do you think is more likely to fall for an investment scam? Your computer-illiterate grandmother or the savvy businessman living next door?

While we should never assume age has anything to do with scam vulnerability, IDCARE data over the last 12 months includes fascinating insights on Australian scam demographics.

And if you thought your grandma was more likely to lose your potential inheritance, you’d be wrong.

Did you know?

• 63% of investment scam victims are men, primarily aged between 45 and 64, with more than half being approached via social media.
• Men aged 18 to 34 account for 29% of all relationship scam reports, with four out of five of these victims targeted through social media.
• Young adults aged 18 to 24 are almost four times more likely to fall victim to extortion scams, over three times more likely to be deceived by rental scams, and nearly twice as likely to be tricked by online shopping scams compared to any other age group.

While scams can happen to anyone, certain factors can increase vulnerability. So, who is more susceptible to different types of scams based on gender and age? Understanding these demographics can be incredibly useful in scam prevention efforts.

IDCARE analysed data over a 12-month period (1st May 2023-2024) and identified six key categories of scam victims: young adults, middle-aged adults, older adults, relationship scam victims, investment fraud victims, and SMS scam victims. These profiles reveal which groups are more vulnerable, empowering individuals to stay alert and safeguard against scams.

Summary of Scam Victim Profiles

Young Adults (18-24) Young adults, aged 18-24, are frequently targeted by online shopping and extortion scams. They tend to engage with scammers primarily through social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram. Notably, they are over three times more likely to be deceived by rental scams and almost four times more likely to fall victim to extortion scams compared to other age groups.

"I was added by a person on Instagram, and they asked for a picture of me so I sent a face picture. Then next minute, they have pulled a penis picture from the internet and have sent messages to all my mates. Then they requested money to stop the messages from being sent, and I already sent a bunch of money to them."

Adults (25-34) Individuals in the 25-34 age group often fall victim to employment and rental scams. Their engagements with scammers are mainly via social media, notably Facebook. They are twice as likely to be duped by employment scams and rental scams compared to other age groups.

Middle-Aged Adults (44-54) Middle-aged adults, aged 44-54, are susceptible to various scams, including phishing and investment schemes. They interact with scammers through diverse channels, such as social media and telephone. Notably, they are more likely to be impacted by phishing scams, with scammers often impersonating officials from organisations like MyGov and Telstra. Watch our IDCARE learning Centre video for a full explanation of phishing IDCARE How to videos .

Among these scams, investment fraud stands out as particularly costly for this age group, with victims facing an average loss of $96,500. Cryptocurrency scams are prevalent, with victims falling prey to sham trading platforms or direct solicitations via social media channels. For example, individuals may believe they are engaging with reputable figures in the cryptocurrency community, only to realise they have been scammed.

“Thought I was talking to a YouTuber by the name of "the house of crypto" on Twitter/X (he was impersonating him)…He told me to get on a trading platform…I sent USD into the account…I saw that I was making some profits, so I tried to take my funds out 2 times and my account was locked.”

Older Adults (65+) Older adults, aged 65 and above, commonly encounter phishing and investment scams, primarily through telephone and email communications. They often suffer significant financial losses due to these scams. Investment scams are prevalent in this cohort, with victims potentially losing their life savings.

Investment Scam Victims Investment scam victims, predominantly male and aged 45-64, experience the costliest losses averaging $96,000. These scams frequently involve impersonation of celebrities and are commonly perpetrated through social media platforms like Facebook. Cryptocurrency scams feature heavily in this category, with victims signing up to sham trading platforms or being approached directly via platforms like TikTok and Instagram.

Relationship Scam Victims Men aged 18-34 are frequently targeted in romance scams, often initiated through dating apps or social media. Scammers may later transition to soliciting cryptocurrency investments. Social media is the most common engagement channel for romance scam victims, with more than 80% being lured in this way.

“Over the course of several months, I have been contacted by several people claiming to be friends, celebrities or potential romantic partners. I have down syndrome and have trouble identifying real people from scammers.”

Watch our IDCARE learning Centre video for a full explanation of Relationship Scams IDCARE How to videos .

SMS Scam Victims Text message scams, impersonating organisations like Australia Post, commonly trick victims into providing personal information. These scams exploit urgent-sounding messages to deceive individuals into divulging sensitive data. Parcel delivery issues are a common ruse used in these scams, with Australia Post being the most impersonated organisation.

“Yesterday I received a text saying "Your item could not be delivered due to an incorrect suburb name and postcode. When I clicked the link, it took me to the AusPost website where I had to enter my name and address then proceeded to take me to payment page where I entered my card details… This morning that card had a transaction for $192.95 withdrawn from Woolworth Online …which I did not purchase.”

Learn more about SMS Scams from our IDCARE Learning Centre Fact Sheets IDCARE Fact Sheet - SMS Scams .

When dealing with scams, there are actions individuals can take to safeguard themselves. Staying updated on the latest scams, such as regularly consulting resources like IDCARE News and Media News and Media ( idcare.org ) , taking time to evaluate offers, and seeking advice from trusted sources are key strategies. It's important not to rush into decisions, even when feeling pressured or enticed by attractive deals, without conducting thorough research on the parties involved.

Behind the Mask - a guide to new and trending scams

Targeting Chinese-Australians: Police Impersonation Scams

A sophisticated scam targeting the Chinese-Australian community, especially international students, has been on the rise. Posing as police officers, scammers threaten victims with deportation unless they transfer large sums of money, with losses up to $65,000 reported in the last 10 days. The scam often starts with a call from someone pretending to be from a telco company, transferring the victim to fake "Chinese police" who demand passport details and accuse them of crimes like money laundering. Victims receive fake arrest warrants and are instructed to download Skype for continuous monitoring, isolating them and increasing control. Find out more about scams targeting our Chinese-Australian community in our Learning Centre IDCARE Fact Sheet - Mandarin phone scam .

OUR TIPS

If you receive a call from anyone claiming to be from a telco, government institution, bank, or the police and they are threatening you, hang up immediately – it’s a scam! Never share personal information or download apps like Skype as instructed by the caller. Instead, verify the caller's identity by contacting the organisation directly using a verified phone number, cease all communication with the scammer, block their number, and report the incident to authorities and platforms like IDCARE. Inform friends and family about this scam to help prevent others from falling victim.

Delivery Scams and Fake Organisations

Have you ever received a message stating, "We had issues with your parcel delivery"? This is a common tactic in the growing realm of organisation impersonation scams, with Australia Post being the most impersonated entity. From 1st May 2023 to April 2024, about 1,700 instances were reported to IDCARE, 91% via SMS and 8% via email, with 94% featuring "parcel delivery issues." Scammers pose as trusted organisations to trick victims into revealing personal information or making payments, using phishing tactics through emails, texts, or calls. Victims often click on malicious links or provide sensitive details, leading to identity theft, fraud, and other crimes. The average reported loss was $5,000, with 67% losing $1 to $1,000 and 21% losing $1,001 to $10,000. Additionally, 11% of victims exposed their driver's licence information. Learn more about Australia Post Phishing Scams from our Learning Centre Latest News at IDCARE - Australia Post Phishing Scam .

OUR TIPS

Be cautious of urgent requests for personal information or payments through unsolicited messages. Verify the legitimacy of any communication by directly contacting the organisation using trusted contact details. Remember, your bank or services like Amazon, PayPal, and Netflix will never ask for sensitive information through unsolicited links. Courier companies like Australia Post and FedEx will never request personal information or payment via text, email, or call. Always access your accounts through official websites or apps, and never download apps or software from unsolicited callers. If you suspect a scam, activate two-factor authentication, change your passwords, inform administrators, and report it to authorities like the National Anti-Scam Centre - Scamwatch. For detailed support, contact an IDCARE case manager.

Have a scam, identity or cyber-related question? Ask Dr David Lacey!

When it comes to scams, identity theft or cybercrime, Dr David Lacey has seen and heard it all. He is one of Australia’s most respected experts in the field and is highly sought after across government and industry for his unique insights into the online criminal environment. In a first for the Cyber Sushi, Dr Lacey is inviting you to submit your question – and we will answer it. Send it to [email protected] .

Our first question comes from Rosemary in Coolum Beach, Queensland:

Dear Dr Lacey,

I’m going on a holiday to Bali and purchased a travel visa online. But I think I may have been scammed. What do I do?

Dear Rosemary,

Firstly, congratulations on your planned holiday to Bali. We are a little envious as the weather cools at our headquarters in Queensland.?? Secondly, and I hope this doesn’t ruin your holiday, but you have good reason to be concerned! IDCARE has seen a spike in cases in the last week involving travel visa scams, particularly in relation to people looking to travel to Bali.

You see, criminals can create very official looking websites that can be hard to detect.? When you end up on these sites, you believe you are purchasing that travel visa, only to discover you’ve just parted with your money to scammers.

The losses from these scams haven’t been terrifically high but could still put a dent in your holiday budget. They’re usually up to $500, when compared to $108,000 being the average investment scam loss.

The worst part is these scams usually also ask for your passport and other credentials. And this carries a risk far more likely than encountering a dangerous sea creature in the beautiful Balinese waters.

You see, passports are a key credential which can be misused to gain credit and other products and services in someone’s name.

There is also the very real risk you turn up to the airport and don’t have a visa.? If you don’t have a way to check first you may be ineligible for a refund of your flights and accommodation and you’ll be sent home, back to Australia’s winter weather.

The good news is, if it’s not too late, you can be sure you are obtaining your visa the proper way by checking with smartraveller.gov.au (note only one ‘T’).? Then click on destinations and go from there as to the official pages to get your visa.

If you have bought one and not sure, contact the embassy (again using “Smar” Traveller) and ask them to confirm. For US visas you can apply through the US Govt and at the very end it will tell you whether you have a current visa.

Here are a few other useful travel tips:

• Protect your passport information and document like it is gold!
• Avoid airport Wi-Fi or other Wi-Fi when they ask for your passport details.
• If you must use it, connect via a VPN (most phones allow that now through settings).

We hope you have a wonderful trip and please send us a photo.