Scammers increasingly use social media

EMERGING TRENDS IN SCAMS TARGETING AUSTRALIANS:

INCREASING SCAMS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA

* Losses from social media contact total $9.5 million in 2016 (v $3.8m in 2015)

* Most ($7.5m) through dating and romance scams

* One third of dating and romance scam victims came into contact with scammer through social media

* 440 victims (mostly men) of sextortion (blackmail using compromising images of victims)

SCAMMERS USING ITUNES AND GIFT CARDS AS SOURCE OF PAYMENT

* Mainly related to tax scams

* More than 20,000 reports - 280 of those had total loss of $1.4m; 60 pct paid with iTunes cards

* Scammers sell card voucher numbers on online black market or put credit onto ApplePay to buy goods and services

THREAT-BASED AND IMPERSONATION SCAMS

* Often involve impersonating government agency and threats of fines, arrest, deportation

* More than 24,400 reports; total reported losses more than $1.6m

* Majority were tax scams - more than 20,000 reports with nearly $1.5m lost

* Big increase in Centrelink scams - more than 2200 reports and $27,000 lost

BUSINESS SCAMS

* 5953 reports with $3.78m lost ($2m lost by micro and small businesses)

* Average loss $10,631

* Highest losses to computer hacking ($1.7m); investment schemes ($980,626); other buying and selling scams ($532,509).

Based on reports to Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Scamwatch in 2016.