Targeting scams Report of the accc on scams activity 2014
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- Scams delivered by phone (landline and mobile)
- Scams delivered online (internet and email)
- Misuse of consumer trust and data online
- Personal data
2.3 Scam delivery methodsScammers adopt a range of communication channels to deliver scams, and are quick to change their approach to exploit new developments in technology or popular mediums. Table 3 provides a comparison of all scam delivery methods reported to the ACCC in 2014 and 2013, highlighting that scams delivered by phone (telephone calls and text messages) continued to be the most common method of targeting the public. Online delivery methods also continued to be favoured by scammers in 2014. Table 3: Scam delivery methods during 2014 and 2013 based on reports to the ACCC
Figure 3 provides an overview of scam delivery methods over the past six years. Figure 3: Scam delivery methods 2009−2014 based on reports to the ACCC 
Scams delivered by phone (landline and mobile)In 2014 phone (landline and mobile) remained the most common scams delivery method reported to the ACCC. Almost 53 per cent of reported scams were delivered in this manner (48 318 contacts), with reported financial losses totalling $23 470 222. Telephone calls remained the most popular scam contact method, with reports rising by more than 11 per cent from 2013 to 44 411 but reported financial losses fell by approximately $6 000 000. This decrease may be related to the inclusion of two new categories for mobile apps and social networking, which are often delivered by phone. Those two new categories combined had reported losses of $6 461 209. Scams delivered by text message decreased by 48 per cent from 2013 levels, while reported losses increased 7 per cent to $1 970 265. This increase can be attributed to nine contacts that reported losses of over $70 000 and arose from a scam delivered via text message. Each of these matters was an advance fee fraud. However, because scam contact mode is classified on the basis of what is reported by the victim it is not always clear if the scam originated as a text message or if this was the mode of communication adopted by the scammer later in the course of the scam. The most prominent scams delivered via telephone calls were reclaim scams, remote access scams and phishing and identity theft scams. The vast majority of scams delivered via text message were unexpected prize and lottery scams, buying and selling scams and phishing. Scammers typically called or sent text messages where they pretended to be from government or large well-known companies including banks, computer companies, telecommunications service providers and lottery agencies. As with previous years, the ACCC continued to receive reports that indicate many telephone scams may be operating through overseas call centres. This is likely to be due to the continued use by scammers of cheap scripted call centre operations run by overseas providers, as well as the growing availability of low or no-cost VoIP call services. These cold calling scams are usually directed at the home telephone and account for the majority of telephone scams reported to the ACCC. Figure 4 highlights the shift in scams delivered via a phone call or SMS reported to the ACCC over the past six years. Figure 4: Scams delivered via telephone (voice and text message) 2009–14 
Scams delivered online (internet and email)In 2014 scammers continued to take advantage of the online environment to deliver scams to Australians, with this delivery method netting the highest financial losses. Contacts of scams delivered online decreased in 2014 by 6 per cent to represent just fewer than 38 per cent of all scam approaches. The ACCC received 9108 reports of scams delivered via the internet, 22 858 reports of scams delivered via email, 2367 through social networking sites and 233 from mobile apps. These latter two categories were added in 2014. Total reported financial losses from online scams increased in 2014 by 13 per cent to $47 387 308. As noted earlier, this additional $6 million dollars in losses may be due to a transfer of matters previously classified as originating by phone. With the increased use of smart phone technology, the line between scams originating online or via telephone becomes blurred. Losses arising out of scams delivered via email increased significantly by 55 per cent to $19 180 568. This increase contrasts with the significant decrease in 2013 and signals a return closer to those losses to scams via email experienced in 2012. In 2014, dating and romance scams accounted for 30 per cent of these losses. Past experience shows that these scams actually originate from dating sites or through social networking sites but scammers move quickly to get their victims to correspond via phone or email, away from any scrutiny online dating sites might conduct. The discrepancy in figures in the years 2012, 2013 and 2014 could simply be due to the manner in which a few of these high loss scams have been categorised by those that report them. Online communication channels such as email and social networking forums allow scammers to communicate anonymously from anywhere in the world. The internet provides scammers with a smokescreen to hide behind, with the global and anonymous nature of the online environment helping to mask their physical location. The increasing availability of wireless internet connectivity and uptake of smart phone technology means that the public needs to be constantly alert to new scam approaches. Scammers will take advantage of the internet to transmit scams to any personal device that is connected to the web—whether it is via the home computer, a smart phone, or anywhere through a tablet.
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