Australia, once held up as a success story for falling scam losses, saw them rise again in 2025. The National Anti-Scam Centre recorded an increase of 7.8% year on year.
A framework with teeth. The Scams Prevention Framework, passed in early 2025, will require banks, telcos and digital platforms to prevent, detect, report, disrupt and respond to scams — with penalties of up to A$50 million for the most serious breaches.
Shared responsibility. Unlike the UK, Australia’s model spreads obligations across the whole scam chain, not just the bank that sends the money.
What happens next
Sector-specific codes will define exactly what each industry must do. Digital platforms, where many investment and romance scams start, are expected to face the most scrutiny.
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