With Valentines Day just ahead of us, Vodafone‘s advice is to swipe right with caution.
New Vodafone research has revealed almost one third (31%) of Australians have never heard of dating and romance scams, suggesting a significant number of consumers could be vulnerable ahead of Valentine’s Day.
Among those who have been targeted or fallen victim to a scam in the last 12 months, almost one fifth (19%) reported being targeted by dating and romance scams.
In 2024, Vodafone blocked 155 million scam calls and texts, preventing them from reaching its customers and keeping Australians safe.
Amelia Limbric, Customer Security & Investigations Manager at Vodafone, expressed concern over the lack of awareness about these types of scams and the impact they have.
“The emotional devastation coupled with financial losses mean romance and dating fraudsters can hurt people twice as much,” Mrs Limbrick said. “The sheer amount of money lost per victim can be so much higher than a quick credit card scam. Guard your heart and your wallet this Valentine’s Day and remember that true love doesn’t ask for your bank account number.”
The new research, conducted by YouGov, polled over 1,000 Australians to uncover the prevalence of scams, how confident consumers feel in recognising them, and the financial toll they take.
Australians falling victim
Vodafone’s findings revealed nearly one in four (23%) respondents say they have fallen victim to a scam in the last year.
One in ten (10%) respondents admitted they’ve been a victim multiple times during this period, while three in five (61%) know at least one other person who has been targeted by a scam in the last year.
Alarmingly, two in five (42%) of those who had been scammed during this period confirmed they had lost more than $1,000.
Phishing emails and texts were reported as the most common type of scam, with 42% of Australians saying they had been targeted by them in the last year. Phishing was ranked as the most well-known scam type among Australians, suggesting the prevalence of this scam is helping consumers stay vigilant.
Confidence on deepfakes and scams
New threats are also on the rise, with over one in five (22%) respondents reporting they have been targeted by scams using deepfake technology in the last year. These scams typically use fake photos, videos, or audio recordings created using AI to impersonate someone else.
Despite the sophistication of these tools, nearly two thirds (64%) of survey respondents feel confident they could recognise an AI deepfake if they encountered one.
The vast majority (89%) of respondents expressed confidence in their ability to recognise a scam, and most (84%) feel confident the people in their household are well equipped to guard against scams.
“While people might feel they can spot a scam, we need to stay vigilant. Modern scammers are masters of manipulation,” Mrs Limbrick said. “They weave elaborate lies and are even using deepfakes to build trust. If something feels too good to be true, it probably is. Use codewords to verify who you are speaking to, do your research, and never send money to someone you haven’t met.”
“Taking the time to assess potential threats by slowing down and thinking critically before acting can make all the difference in keeping Aussies safe.”
Methodology
All figures, unless otherwise stated, are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size was 1025 adults.
Fieldwork was undertaken between 23rd – 27th January 2025. The survey was carried out online.
The figures have been weighted and are representative of all Australian adults (aged 18+).
