Australians receive shipping or package delivery scams far more than any other scam according to the latest research commissioned by Australia Post. Close to three-quarters (73%) of respondents indicated they have received fake delivery or package scam messages, underscoring the need to track parcels through official apps or websites. More than a quarter (27%) of respondents admitted they had fallen victim to a scam, often resulting in a financial loss or identity theft. Of these, a small number (5%) reported they have lost more than $20,000 to scammers. 

The most common scams Australians reported receiving included:

• Delivery and packages – 73%
• Overdue Tolls – 49%
• Winning a prize, money or holiday – 39%
• A purchase that wasn’t made – 36%
• Banking matters – 31% 
• Telecommunications – 26%
• Unpaid taxes – 22%
• Children losing their phones – 8%

Alarmingly, over 80% of Australians are receiving between one to ten scam texts and calls every week. The research suggests that 15% of people are receiving 16 or more scam emails a week and about 4% of people also reported receiving a similar number of fake texts and phone calls. Australia Post is urging people to protect themselves as scams continue to increase and become more convincing. More than half (54%) of those surveyed revealed they had initially believed a fake delivery message was legitimate and pursued it before realising the content was fraudulent. “Australians are losing billions of dollars to scams each year. Scam attempts are becoming more sophisticated, frequent and increasingly harder to detect and our latest research reveals that most of us have already been targeted.” Australia Post’s Group Chief Executive & Managing Director Paul Graham commented “With many people being bombarded with fake texts, emails and calls the best way for customers to stay safe from scams is by using the free AusPost app, which tracks deliveries securely.”

Australia Post will never:

• Call, text or email you asking for personal or financial information including password, credit card details or account information 
• Call, text or email you to request payment 

Australia Post also advises that parcel delivery scams may reference other delivery company names both real and fictitious. Australia Post’s new research follows the latest report from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which revealed Australians lost $2.74 billion in 2023 and made over 601,000 scam reports, an 18.5% increase on 2022. 

ACCCs top tips on protecting yourself against scams

• Download the official app and turn on notifications so you can be confident the message is real.
• Never click on links in texts or emails. Don’t give money or personal information if you are unsure. Scammers will create a sense of urgency, such as telling you your parcel could not be delivered. Don’t rush to act.
• Act quickly if you think something feels wrong and immediately report it to your bank if you lose money.