Consumers in Australia and Ireland struggle to identify rising online scams

Recent research in Australia and Ireland highlights a growing difficulty for consumers to identify and defend against online scams. In Australia, a survey by Good Things Australia found that 53 per cent of adults believe scams are becoming harder to spot, while only 30 per cent feel confident in their ability to avoid them. The findings underscore a need for systemic protections, such as the proposed Digital Duty of Care, which would require online services to take steps to prevent foreseeable harm.

Similarly, in Ireland, FraudSmart reported that 85 per cent of adults encounter suspicious calls, texts, or emails at least once a month. Over half of Irish respondents noted an increase in suspicious communications compared to the previous year. Mobile calls (61 per cent), text messages (58 per cent), and emails (51 per cent) were the primary methods of contact. The study also noted the rise of AI-generated fraudulent content, with one in four respondents encountering communications that appeared to be artificially generated.