Aussies lost $84.9m on scams last year
DURING 2015 $84.9 million was reported lost due to scams, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's Targeting Scams Report has revealed.
That number is up from $81.1 million in 2014.
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Scamwatch had 105,200 scam complaints during the year, with 9.8% reporting losing money.
The top scams, according to Scamwatch, were investment schemes and dating and romance scams - which actually make up less than 3.7% of reports, but account for over 56% of losses.
40% of reports were made by over 55s, and while more women reported scams, men lost two thirds more financially, the report revealed.
31% of both reports and losses were in NSW, the largest number of all the states in Australia.
In terms of delivery method, 40.9% of reported scams were via the phone, 27.7% via email, 11.1% via internet and social networks, 4.8% by mail, 3.8% by text messages, and 11.7% listed as "other".
For more information on scams and how to protect yourself, visit www.scamwatch.gov.au
