TL;DR: Australians reported A$2.18 billion in scam losses in 2025 across 481,523 reports, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre's Targeting Scams report (published March 30, 2026). Losses rose 7.8% on 2024 but sit about 30% below the 2022 peak. Investment scams cost A$837.7 million, and Scamwatch alone recorded A$334.8 million. More than 7,500 scam websites were taken down.

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The headline numbers

Australia's combined figure merges more sources than the others we track: it combines five sources and removes duplicates. Reports fell 2.7% in 2025, while losses rose 7.8%. 274,577 reports involved a loss, up from 207,605 in 2024.

Australia combined reported scam losses by year (A$ billion)Combined losses: 1.76 billion in 2021, 3.15 in 2022, 2.741 in 2023, 2.03 in 2024, 2.18 in 2025.Australia combined reported scam losses by year (A$ billion)A$1.76B2021A$3.15B2022A$2.741B2023A$2.03B2024A$2.18B2025
Source: ACCC and National Anti-Scam Centre Targeting Scams reports. The mix of sources was different before 2023. The ACCC cites 2022 as just over A$3.1 billion.
Sources behind Australia's combined 2025 total
SourceReports, 2025Reported losses, 2025
Scamwatch (ACCC)200,675A$334.8 million
ReportCyber (ASD)58,876A$774.2 million
AFCX (banks)202,943A$842.3 million
ASIC1,565A$135.0 million
IDCARE47,589A$535.8 million
Combined, after removing duplicates481,523A$2.18 billion

The five sources add up to more than the combined figure because the same scam is often reported to more than one of them. Scamwatch figures are much smaller (A$334.8 million, with a median loss of A$400) because Scamwatch captures only what victims report to it. Never describe the A$2.18 billion as a Scamwatch figure.

Which scams cost the most

Combined losses by scam type, Australia 2025 (A$ million)Investment 837.7 million Australian dollars, payment redirection 166.8, romance 139.9, phishing 97.6, remote access 69.9.Combined losses by scam type, Australia 2025 (A$ million)InvestmentA$837.7MPayment redirectionA$166.8MRomanceA$139.9MPhishingA$97.6MRemote accessA$69.9M
Top five scam types by loss, 2025
Scam typeLoss, 2025Change vs 2024
InvestmentA$837.7 million-11.4%
Payment redirectionA$166.8 million+9.3%
RomanceA$139.9 million-10.8%
PhishingA$97.6 million+15.5%
Remote accessA$69.9 million-34.1%

Investment scams fell but remain five times the size of the next category. Payment redirection (fake invoices and changed bank details) and phishing both rose. For how those work, see business email compromise statistics and phishing statistics for 2026, and for Australia's investment scams in particular, investment and trading app scam recovery.

How people paid, and who lost the most

In Scamwatch's 2025 data, cryptocurrency was the largest payment method by loss at A$121.3 million across 3,993 reports (36.2% of Scamwatch losses), narrowly ahead of bank transfers at A$118.1 million across 8,858 reports.

Australians aged 65 and over account for 26.5% of Scamwatch-reported losses, against about 17.1% of the population (ABS). More on protecting older relatives is in elder fraud statistics for 2026.

What was disrupted

The National Anti-Scam Centre referred more than 8,400 scam websites for removal in 2025 and more than 7,500 were taken down (the report cites a 30% increase). It estimates this avoided A$89.4 million in losses (an estimate based on average loss per site, not a count of actual savings). It also referred 4,246 phone numbers for action. If you are targeted, report to Scamwatch and read how to report a scam to Scamwatch. Recent cases are in Australia scam news: October 2026 roundup. Per resident, 2025 losses were about A$78 using the ABS population of 27.8 million at December 31, 2025 (our calculation).

How we compiled this data

Combined and per-source figures, scam-type tables, Scamwatch payment data, age share and disruption figures are from the National Anti-Scam Centre's Targeting Scams 2025 report and the ACCC's media release of March 30, 2026. Earlier years come from the 2021 to 2024 reports. Population is the ABS estimate for December 31, 2025. Per-resident and share calculations are ours.

Targeting Scams reports changed their mix of sources over time (2021 used a different set of agencies and 2021 report counts are restated inconsistently between reports), so we compare losses by year but not report counts before 2022. The 2025 age table is on an interactive Scamwatch dashboard we could not open, so we use only the age share the report states. The NASC's contact-method data was not re-verified and is not included.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much did Australians lose to scams in 2025?

The National Anti-Scam Centre reports A$2.18 billion in combined reported losses across 481,523 reports in 2025, up 7.8% on 2024 and 29.7% below the 2022 peak.

Is the A$2.18 billion the Scamwatch figure?

No. It combines Scamwatch, ReportCyber, bank data (AFCX), ASIC and IDCARE after removing duplicates. Scamwatch alone recorded A$334.8 million.

What is the most costly scam in Australia?

Investment scams, at A$837.7 million in 2025, though that was down 11.4% on 2024.

Where do I report a scam in Australia?

Report to Scamwatch, tell your bank straight away, and contact IDCARE if your identity details were stolen. Our Scamwatch guide has the steps.

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The chart and compilation are ours; the underlying figures belong to the agencies listed under Sources, so check their terms before reusing the raw data.

Sources

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