Introduction

Scam tactics are growing in scale and sophistication, and so must our collective vigilance. Australians reported over $119 million in scam-related losses in the first four months of 2025. If we are to take anything from this Scam Awareness Week, it’s that we all have a responsibility in protecting each other from increasingly sophisticated scams – while the everyday Australian must be smart about their online behaviours, the onus of protection heavily lies on business and government intervention.

The nature of scams is changing and we’re now seeing more sophisticated scams than before. Given the changing nature of scams, Australia has seen a 28% increase in losses due to scams, despite a decline in overall scam reports compared to June last year, as reported by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission. This suggests they could be becoming harder to detect, more strategic in their approach, and in turn have a higher success rate than ever before. We can only expect scams to continue to become more intricate, particularly with increased AI use exposing areas of vulnerability and possible exploitation.

From their financial toll to the emotional harm scams cause, we all need to practice vigilance in keeping our community protected. Much of this onus lands on businesses and government.

The Private Side

Businesses must drop their torch, put commercial priorities aside, and work as a collective, to protect their customers, openly sharing vital information amongst each other – this collective intelligence creates a broader and more resilient safeguard than any one company could create on its own, plus we know scammers exploit gaps between companies, so it’s imperative for all that we don’t allow the opportunity.

Businesses must also take initiative in preventing scams – something we are hyperaware of at Lenovo, given we are investing in AI innovation, as part of our mission to offer Smarter AI for All, an area scammers are known to be exploiting. We take no shortcuts when it comes to security in this space, ensuring we influence ethical and secure AI use, and are proactively aligning ourselves with global initiatives that echo this, including UNESCO’s recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence. We strongly encourage other companies to do the same.

The Public Side

As for the Australian government, it needs to continue to hold businesses who are not acting in the best interest of their customers to account, set clear guidelines for businesses to adhere to, and continue to encourage data sharing among businesses and agencies.

Corporate accountability also needs to be enforced, with strong repercussions put in place for those who actively fail in protecting their customers, this could be offering financial compensation for those affected by scams, as once floated by the government late last year. A move like this would increase the stakes for businesses who are placid in their security measures, shifting their obligations from moral to financial.

Additionally, the government needs to be clear in setting national standards on scam prevention and response, while raising public awareness and education on the matter.

As for the public, there is a plethora of practical advice available when it comes to scam awareness. Always exercise caution when handing over sensitive information – don’t click on unsolicited links, enable multi-factor authentication, use strong passwords, and for the benefit of all, always report suspicious activity to ScamWatch and the related company.

In Summary

Together we can ensure we continue the steady decline of scams reported in Australia, while working to lower the total losses that successful scams lead to.

This Scam Awareness Week is a reminder that while scams continue to evolve, our united commitment to block them must evolve faster. Every sector has a role to play – from tech giants to policymakers, to the everyday Australian. Together, we’re strong, and with the right collaboration, investment, and vigilance, we can help strengthen cybersecurity and limit threats of scams across the country.