- The Crisafulli Government is urging Queenslanders to remain vigilant following an increase of sophisticated scams.
- Scam Awareness Week 2025 urges everyone to "Stop. Check. Protect." before actioning suspicious messages.
- Education and awareness more vital than ever after Queenslanders were scammed out of more than $50 million in 2024.
The Crisafulli Government is urging Queenslanders to remain vigilant and protect themselves and loved ones from scams during Scam Awareness Week 2025.
This year's theme of Stop. Check. Protect. highlights the importance of pausing before responding to suspicious messages, verifying their legitimacy, and proactively safeguarding personal details.
In 2024, Queenslanders lost more than $51.4 million to scams – and while that's a reduction in reported losses from the previous year, the actual figure could be much higher, with some victims never coming forward.
Simple steps every Queenslander can take to stay safe include:
- Stop: Slow down and take a moment to think before clicking or responding.
- Check: Verify the source and check its legitimacy.
- Protect: Report scams and secure your accounts.
Scam Awareness Week is a national initiative led by the National Anti-Scam Centre, which brings together government, business, and community organisations to promote scam prevention.
Attorney-General and Minister for Justice and Minister for Integrity Deb Frecklington said public awareness and education was more vital than ever with scammers using increasingly deceptive tactics.
"Queenslanders deserve to feel safe online and in their daily transactions, but scammers prey on vulnerabilities and they'll use every trick in the book to try to catch people out," the Attorney-General said.
"If you've encountered a scam, I encourage you to speak up, start conversations, and report anything suspicious to Scam Watch, because sharing your experience could help someone else avoid getting ripped off."
