Online fraud stories

Job and financial scams are rising in Australia and New Zealand as cost-of-living pressures drive more consumers into risky online offers, warns Trend Micro.

New research reveals social media now leads as the top scam channel in the UK, overtaking email with 34% of incidents reported amid rising AI concerns.

Australians are urged to boost online security as AI-driven scams surge ahead of Christmas, with experts promoting multi-factor authentication and hardware keys.

AI-powered bots have surged 300% to over 3 billion, challenging online businesses with increased cyber threats and operational costs.

CelcomDigi and Media Prima's anti-scam campaign has reached over 4 million Malaysians, raising awareness of online scams via TV and digital platforms.

Investment scams top UK search trends with over 2 million victims in 2025, revealing a surge in fraud involving cryptocurrency and real estate schemes.

Bitdefender reports a 63% rise in malicious Halloween spam, with scams posing as festive giveaways and retail offers to steal data or spread malware.

AI-driven scams and web skimming attacks have surged in New Zealand, with web skimming up 416% and tech support scams rising 437% in Q3 2025, warns Gen Digital.

A fellowship in Malaysia empowers 35 content creators and youth leaders to combat AI-driven scams, reaching over five million online users with digital safety messages.

Many young UK shoppers risk scams by using AI and social media for festive gifts, despite widespread concerns over online holiday shopping risks.

New Zealanders risk scams this holiday season by sharing personal data for discounts and shopping via social media, as AI-fuelled frauds rise, Norton warns.

Norton reports UK millennials and Gen Z face rising holiday scam risks as 66% take risky steps, driven by growing use of social media and AI in shopping.

Bitdefender launches They Wear Our Faces campaign to fight AI-driven scams like deepfakes, warning consumers worldwide to stay alert and protect personal data.

A WhatsApp scam called 'Vote for my child' is spreading across Europe, tricking users into sharing codes and demanding money, warns Bitdefender.

Fans heading to the 2026 World Cup are urged to beware of rising digital scams involving ticket fraud and fake travel deals, warns cybersecurity firm Norton.

Malaysia’s top mobile operators launch a Number Verification API to help businesses combat online fraud and boost digital security across networks.

Automated bots now make up nearly 60% of visits to travel websites, disrupting bookings and prices across the global tourism sector, a new report reveals.

Australians lost AUD $119 million to cyber scams in early 2025 as attacks grow more frequent and sophisticated, urging tech and awareness measures.

Australians lost AUD $175 million to over 108,000 scams in H1 2025, as cyber threats rise amid rapid growth in digital payments and eCommerce.

97% of Australians involved in property transactions fail to spot scam signs in emails, risking costly losses despite their confidence in detecting fraud.