Scams stories

Scammers hijack Israel-Iran war headlines for classic advance-fee email cons, security researchers warn, urging users not to respond.

FinTech Australia urges Canberra to open tenders to smaller players and revamp startup funding settings in its pre-budget pitch.

Young Australians lose over AUD $2.2 million as fake flexible job offers surge, with scammers recruiting money mules via texts and social media.

Australians greatly overestimate their ability to spot AI-driven scam images, with new research showing they get it right less than half the time.

OpenText warns 2026 will bring an AI‑driven identity crisis, deepfake-fuelled scams and decision overload that many firms are not ready for.

SAS predicts agentic AI will run core banking by 2026, reshaping trust, fraud defences, climate risk and quantum-powered decision making.

Banks are set to embed AI deep into payment systems by 2026, slashing costs as fraud surges and pressure mounts on platforms and regulators.

Australians are reshaping Boxing Day, prioritising essentials, thrift and online safety over impulse spending amid cost-of-living strain.

AI tools and online deals help drive a 5% rise in Australian Christmas retail spending, with discount and department stores surging.

Australians are warned of AI-driven Black Friday scams, with fraudsters using advanced tactics to create realistic fake shopping sites and offers.

Cyber Monday shoppers face scams and cyber threats; follow 10 expert tips to safely secure your data and enjoy the season's best online deals.

Over half of Black Friday-themed spam emails are scams, with fraudsters impersonating brands like Amazon to steal personal data worldwide.

Scam rates have doubled globally, with young adults aged 18-34 twice as likely as seniors to fall victim to rising digital deception, says F-Secure.

Australians lost over AUD $87,000 to scams last year, with risky cyber habits like password reuse and oversharing on social media putting many at threat.

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

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

Global scam attempts have surged 65% over the past year, with smishing rising tenfold as banks worldwide battle increasing fraud risks.

RCS offers Australian businesses a secure, interactive way to boost customer engagement and trust, tackling data privacy concerns amid rising scams.

ANZ warns Australian small businesses to stay vigilant as scams cause AUD $84 million losses amid rising cybercrime threats in 2024.

Norton has enhanced its Small Business service with Dark Web and Social Media Monitoring to help firms counter rising cyber threats in 2025.