Australia’s Scam Hotspots 2025: Why your suburb may be a magnet for scams

Marina Gainulina
10:30am August 29 2025

Scammers don't discriminate by location. But if you live in Sydney’s CBD, Liverpool or the outer suburbs of Melbourne like Tarneit and Werribee, you’re in Australia’s scam danger zone.  

New Westpac data shows that these postcodes top the list for scam reports in the past year, revealing a troubling trend: scammers are striking in high-density and fast-growing areas with increasing precision. 

Scammers are evolving. Dodgy texts and emails, impersonating legitimate businesses and exploiting emotional triggers are just some of the insidious tactics in their arsenal.  

“From fake investment opportunities to irresistible online deals, scams are reaching Australians in every corner of the country. Scammers are constantly adapting and using emotional triggers and digital platforms to exploit Australians,” says Ben Young, Westpac’s Head of Fraud Prevention.  

The most common scams include: fake investment opportunities; business email compromise (or payment redirection) scams; impersonation, romance scams; and threat and penalty scams.  

Sydney’s 2000 postcode now leads the nation in scam reports, followed closely by Liverpool (2170), Tarneit (3029), Werribee (3030), and Craigieburn (3064). While states like New South Wales and Victoria naturally report more scams due to population size, the rate of scams is actually highest in Western Australia and Queensland. 

Inner-city postcodes like Sydney and Melbourne CBDs have seen a spike in invoice and business email compromise scams. These scams trick people into paying fake invoices or redirecting payments to scam accounts. It’s an attractive get-rich-quick-scheme for cyber criminals and it’s hitting businesses hard. 

Postcodes with the highest reported scam cases: 

  • Australia-wide: 2000 (Sydney, NSW), 2170 (Liverpool, NSW), 3029 (Tarneit, VIC), 3030 (Werribee, VIC), 3064 (Craigieburn, VIC) 
  • New South Wales: 2000 (Sydney), 2170 (Liverpool), 2250 (Gosford), 2560 (Campbelltown), 2145 (Greystanes) 
  • Victoria: 3029 (Tarneit), 3030 (Werribee), 3064 (Craigieburn), 3000 (Melbourne), 3977 (Cranbourne) 
  • Queensland: 4870 (Cairns), 4670 (Bundaberg), 4350 (Toowoomba), 4211 (Nerang), 4510 (Caboolture) 
  • Western Australia: 6112 (Armadale), 6210 (Mandurah), 6065 (Landsdale), 6110 (Gosnells), 6155 (Canning Vale) 
  • South Australia: 5162 (Morphett Vale), 5108 (Salisbury), 5118 (Gawler), 5253 (Murray Bridge), 5169 (Seaford) 
  • Australian Capital Territory: 2615 (MacGregor), 2617 (Belconnen), 2614 (Macquarie), 2914 (Harrison), 2913 (Ngunnawal) 
     

In the first half of 2025, Australians lost $174 million to scammers, according to the ACCC’s National Anti-Scam Centre – and that’s just from the 108,000 people who have made reports. The actual numbers are likely higher. 

Despite the number of scams being seen across the country, there is a silver lining: overall losses have declined over the past 12 months, likely courtesy of better detection tools and increased public awareness. But the emotional and financial toll on victims, be they individuals or businesses, remains severe. 

7 tips to help protect yourself from scammers 

  1. Don’t share personal or financial info with strangers
  2. Avoid clicking on links in unsolicited messages – this includes both texts and emails 
  3. Research sellers before buying online 
  4. Confirm invoice details by calling the company directly (on a trusted number) 
  5. Be sceptical of “too good to be true” offers 
  6. Never send money or gift cards to someone you haven’t met 
  7. Call a friend or family member if something feels off  
     

Westpac continues to roll out layers of defence tech to help customers fight back, including:
 

  • SaferPay: presents customers with a series of questions in instances where a payment is considered a high risk of being a scam. 
  • Verify with Confirmation of Payee: alerts users when account names don’t match BSB and account numbers 
  • Dynamic CVC: changes the security code on digital cards every 24 hours 
  • Call spoofing protection: blocks scammers from impersonating Westpac numbers 
  • Inbound payment detection: flags suspicious incoming payments 
  • Online scam webinar hosted during Scams Awareness Week (25–29 August) to educate customers on how to spot and avoid scams 
     

Regardless of where you live and how scam savvy you are, staying informed is your best defence. “If something feels off, take a moment to check before you click, pay or share your details. A few extra seconds could save you thousands of dollars,” says Young. 

Further information and resources available on Westpac Security Hub. 

Marina Gainulina

Marina Gainulina is a Content Producer for Westpac Wire, with ten years of experience in marketing communications. She holds a Bachelor of Communications & Media (Journalism) degree and a drive to connect with discerning audiences via authentic storytelling across mediums. She has managed editorial and brand comms for the likes of Tiffany & Co., Hugo Boss, NIVEA and GRAZIA.

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