Personal fraud

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Statistics about personal fraud, including card fraud, identity theft and scams (phishing, romance, computer support, financial advice and more).

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Reference period
2024-25 financial year
Release date and time
12/03/2026 11:30am AEDT

Key statistics

  • 10% of Australians experienced card fraud in 2024-25, which was similar to the rate in 2023-24
  • Scam victimisation decreased from 3.1% in 2023-24 to 2.7% in 2024-25.

Statistics discussed in the commentary refer to experiences which occurred in the 12 months prior to interview (conducted between July 2024 and June 2025), referred to as the 2024-25 reference period.

All statistics referred to throughout the commentary are available from the data downloads. Figures marked with an asterisk (*) have a relative standard error of between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution.

Any differences between population groups or reference periods described in the commentary are statistically significant at the 95% confidence level.

For more information about statistical significance and relative standard error, refer to the Personal Fraud Methodology, 2024-25 financial year.

Victimisation summary

In 2024-25, an estimated 15% of persons aged 15 years and over experienced one or more types of personal fraud, including:

  • 10% (2.3 million) who experienced card fraud
  • 2.7% (596,600) who experienced a scam
  • 1.0% (220,400) who experienced identity theft
  • 2.3% (500,000) who experienced online impersonation.
  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced each fraud type in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over. More than one type of fraud may have been experienced.

Card fraud

Card fraud involves the use of credit, debit, or EFTPOS card details to make purchases or withdraw cash without the account owner's permission.

Victimisation rate

In 2024-25, an estimated 10% of persons (2.3 million) experienced card fraud, which was similar to the rate in 2023-24 (9.9%). 

The card fraud victimisation rate was similar for males (10%) and females (11%).

Changes in victimisation rate over the last 10 years

Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the card fraud victimisation rate increased from 5.9% to 10%.

  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced card fraud in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over.
  2. Card fraud victimisation data was collected in 2014-15 and has been collected annually since 2020-21.

Socio-demographic characteristics

The card fraud victimisation rate varied by age, with people aged 15 to 24 years least likely to experience card fraud (5.4%).

  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons in each age group who experienced card fraud in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons in the relevant age group.

The following groups were more likely to experience card fraud:

  • persons who have disability or restrictive condition (12%) compared with persons who do not have disability or restrictive condition (10%)
  • persons who have a non-school qualification (such as a certificate, diploma, or degree) (12%) compared with persons who do not (8.3%)
  • employed persons (11%) compared with unemployed persons (8.0%) and persons not in the labour force (9.2%).

Characteristics of the most recent incident

Nearly all persons who experienced card fraud in 2024-25 notified (or were notified by) an authority about the most recent incident (98% or 2.2 million), most commonly a bank or financial institution (92%).

  1. Reporting rate refers to the total number of persons who reported the most recent incident of card fraud to an authority, expressed as a percentage of the total number of persons who experienced card fraud in the last 12 months.
  2. Includes cases where an authority notified the respondent of the incident.
  3. The most recent incident of card fraud may have been reported to more than one authority.

Most people (90%) who experienced card fraud had money withdrawn or used in the most recent incident, including 17% who had more than $1,000 withdrawn or used.

The median amount withdrawn or used was $250.

  1. Components will not sum to 100% as ‘don’t know’ responses are excluded from the graph.
  2. May include incidents where the fraudulent transactions were blocked.

Three quarters (75%) of people who experienced card fraud received a reimbursement from their card issuer, with most (72%) being reimbursed in full. 

  1. Refers to whether received reimbursement at time of survey.
  2. Components will not sum to 100% as ‘don’t know’ responses are excluded from the graph.
  3. May include incidents where fraudulent transactions were blocked.

Over three quarters of people (78%) reported no financial losses in their most recent incident of card fraud following any reimbursements paid.

The most common amount lost (after any reimbursements paid) was between $1 and $100 (7.8%).

  1. Refers to losses following any reimbursements paid at the time of survey. Where incidents are pending resolution at the time of survey, they are categorised as the initial amount withdrawn or used.
  2. Components will not sum to 100% as ‘don’t know’ responses are excluded from the graph.
  3. Includes persons who had no money withdrawn or used and persons who were fully reimbursed.

Total financial loss for all persons

In the most recent incident of card fraud:

  • the gross amount withdrawn or used for all persons was $2.2 billion
  • the net loss after any reimbursements paid for all persons was $350 million.

Scams

A scam is a fraudulent invitation, request, notification, or offer, designed to obtain personal information or money, or otherwise obtain a financial benefit by deceptive means.

In the context of the survey, experiencing a scam meant the person responded to a scam by seeking further information, providing money or personal information, or accessing links associated with the scam.

For definitions of specific scams, refer to the Glossary.

Victimisation rate

In 2024-25, an estimated 2.7% of persons (596,600) experienced a scam, down from 2023-24 (3.1%).

The scam victimisation rate was similar for males (2.6%) and females (2.9%).

Changes in victimisation rate over the last 10 years

The scam victimisation rate in 2014-15 (2.4%) was similar to the rate in 2024-25 (2.7%).

  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced a scam in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over.
  2. While the data is comparable across the time series, changes to the wording of the scam victimisation question in 2022-23 means that the results should be interpreted with care.
  3. Scam victimisation data was collected in 2014-15 and has been collected annually since 2020-21.

Socio-demographic characteristics

The scam victimisation rate varied by age, ranging from 1.8% for persons aged 15 to 24 years, to 3.5% for persons aged 45 to 54 years.

  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons in each age group who experienced a scam in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons in the relevant age group.

The following groups were more likely to experience a scam:

  • persons who have disability or restrictive condition (4.0%) compared with persons who do not have disability or restrictive condition (2.3%)
  • persons who have a non-school qualification (such as a certificate, diploma, or degree) (3.2%) compared with persons who do not (2.0%).

Victimisation by scam type

In 2024-25, the most common types of scams experienced were:

  • buying or selling scams (1.4% or 306,400)
  • information request or phishing scams (0.5% or 106,900).
  1. Scam victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced the scam type in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over.
  2. More than one type of scam may have been experienced.
  3. Estimate has a relative standard error of between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution.

Between 2023-24 and 2024-25, the victimisation rate decreased for the following scam types:

  • information request or phishing (0.7% to 0.5%)
  • computer support (0.2% to 0.1%).
  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced the scam type in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over.
  2. More than one type of scam may have been experienced.

Multiple victimisation

Most people who experienced a scam in 2024-25 experienced only one type of scam (92%).

Reporting of the most serious incident

An estimated 71% of persons (424,400) who experienced a scam notified (or were notified by) an authority about the most serious scam incident, which was the same as 2023-24 (71%).

The reporting rate was similar for both males (69%) and females (73%).

The most common authority notified was a bank or financial institution (54%). Other common authorities included:

  • social media or selling sites (14%)
  • police (8.5%)
  • government organisation or department (7.9%).

Note: The most serious scam incident may have been reported to more than one authority.

Identity theft

Identity theft is the use of someone’s personal details in stolen, fraudulent, or forged documents without permission, or otherwise illegally appropriating another’s identity.

Victimisation rate

In 2024-25, an estimated 1.0% of persons (220,400) experienced identity theft, which was similar to the rate in 2023-24 (1.2%). 

Males (0.9%) were about as likely as females (1.0%) to experience identity theft.

Changes in victimisation rate over the last 10 years

Between 2014-15 and 2024-25, the victimisation rate for identity theft increased from 0.7% to 1.0%.

  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced identity theft in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over.
  2. Victimisation data for identity theft was collected in 2014-15 and has been collected annually since 2020-21.

Socio-demographic characteristics

Persons with a non-school qualification (such as a certificate, diploma, or degree) were more likely to experience identity theft (1.2%) than persons without a non-school qualification (0.7%).

Characteristics of the most recent incident

In 2024-25, 81% of persons (179,100) who experienced identity theft notified (or were notified by) an authority about the most recent incident, most commonly a bank or financial institution (40%).

  1. Reporting rate refers to the total number of persons who reported the most recent incident of identity theft to an authority, expressed as a percentage of the total number of persons who experienced identity theft in the last 12 months.
  2. Includes cases where an authority notified the respondent of the incident.
  3. The most recent incident of identity theft may have been reported to more than one authority.
  4. The estimate for social media site has a relative standard error of between 25% and 50% and should be used with caution.

Of those who experienced identity theft, the most common way stolen personal information was used was to obtain money from a bank account, superannuation, or investments/shares (33%).

Other common ways stolen personal information was used included:

  • to file a fraudulent tax return (13%)
  • to apply for a loan/credit card or gain credit (12%)
  • to open accounts in their name, including phone and utilities (12%).

Note: Personal information may have been used in more than one way.

Online impersonation

Online impersonation occurs when someone’s personal details have been purposefully misused to impersonate them online without their permission.

Victimisation rate

In 2024-25, an estimated 2.3% of persons (500,000) experienced online impersonation, which was similar to the rate in 2023-24 (2.0%). 

Rates of online impersonation were similar for males (2.0%) and females (2.5%).

Changes in victimisation rate over time

The victimisation rate for online impersonation was similar between 2021-22 (2.5%) and 2024-25 (2.3%).

  1. Victimisation rate refers to the number of persons who experienced online impersonation in the last 12 months, expressed as a percentage of all persons aged 15 years and over.
  2. Online impersonation has been collected in the survey since 2021-22.

Socio-demographic characteristics

The following groups were more likely to experience online impersonation:

  • persons who have disability or restrictive condition (3.5%) compared with persons who do not have disability or restrictive condition (1.8%)
  • persons with a non-school qualification (such as a certificate, diploma, or degree) (2.5%) compared with those without a non-school qualification (1.8%).

Data downloads

Personal Fraud (Tables 1a to 13b)

Experiences of card fraud, selected scams, identity theft and online impersonation. Includes victimisation rates, reporting rates, socio-demographic characteristics, and incident characteristics.

Data files
Download xlsx [189.81 KB]

Data item list

List of data items collected in the survey.

Data files
Download xlsx [476.04 KB]

All data downloads

All Personal Fraud, 2024-25 data download files.


 

Data files
Download zip [378.82 KB]

Previous catalogue number

This release previously used catalogue number 4528.0.

Methodology

Scope

People aged 15 years and over who were usual residents of private dwellings.

Excludes:

  • Australian permanent defence force members and their dependants
  • non-Australian defence forces
  • residents in very remote Australia and the Indigenous Community Strata.

Geography

Data available for:

  • Australia
  • States and territories.

Source

Multipurpose Household Survey

Collection method

Interviews were conducted by telephone with responses directly recorded in an electronic questionnaire.

Proxy interviews were permissible under certain circumstances.

Concepts, sources and methods

Not applicable to this release

History of changes

From 2024–25, the scope also excludes persons resident in very remote areas of Australia.

View full methodology

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