Scams are no longer on the fringes of criminal activity. They have become a mainstream threat for Australians, targeting both consumers and businesses with increasing sophistication. According to Scamwatch, Australians lost $2.03 billion to scams in 2024. This year’s Scams Awareness Week (25-29 August 2025) highlights this escalating issue and shows that as scams evolve in type and scale, our strategies to combat them must also adapt. The changing face of scams Scams are expanding beyond traditional phishing and purchase fraud into more complex and emotionally manipulative schemes. The most common types currently affecting Australian businesses include: Investment scams, which range from fake ...