A scam is a dishonest or fraudulent scheme designed to trick people into giving away money, personal information, or access to accounts. Scammers often use manipulation, lies, or fake promises to deceive their targets.

An online scam is a type of fraud that takes place over the internet, where scammers try to trick people into giving away money, personal information, or access to accounts.

Online scams are the most common type of scam in Australia, and the list of online scams is growing.

More than a quarter of Australians (27%) have been victims of an online scam, according to major global cybersecurity corporation Trend Micro. And most of us have been targeted for a scam (65%).

Neighbourhood Watch State Coordinator Kirsty Mudge said it was easy to fall for a scam if you acted too hastily. “I spent money on a Facebook purchase recently, and I made the mistake of not doing some basic research first,” she said.

“When the item didn’t turn up, I checked the comments under the ad and everyone was complaining about their purchases never arriving.

“But that was just a few dollars. Other scams can fleece you of thousands of dollars, steal your identity, con you into fake relationships, or even hold you to ransom.”

To learn about some of the most prevalent online scams, visit the Scams and Cybercrime page on the South Australia Police website.