South Australians lost more than $6 million to scams in the first half of 2026, prompting the state government to urge residents to take greater care as criminals use artificial intelligence and stolen personal information to make scams harder to spot.
The figures have been released during Scams Awareness Week, a national campaign focused on helping Australians recognise, avoid and report scams.
Investment scams accounted for more than $3.5 million of the losses in South Australia between January and June. These scams commonly involve promises of high returns from investments presented as low risk, with victims encouraged to transfer money or provide personal and financial information.
Another $730,000 was lost through account and identity takeover scams. In these cases, criminals gain access to personal information, computers or mobile devices and use the stolen access or identity to obtain money.
The South Australian Government says scammers are becoming increasingly organised and are using technology to make fraudulent approaches appear more credible. Artificial intelligence can be used to produce convincing messages and communications, while stolen personal data can allow scammers to tailor their approaches to individual victims.
One emerging form of fraud highlighted by the government is “scambling”, which involves fake online gambling or casino platforms. Victims may be encouraged to deposit money and then shown manipulated results suggesting they have won. When they attempt to withdraw their supposed winnings, they may be blocked from accessing the funds or asked to make additional payments.
Authorities are advising consumers to slow down when they receive unexpected requests for money or personal information, particularly when the person contacting them creates a sense of urgency.
The government recommends a simple “stop, check, protect” approach.
People are encouraged to stop before acting and avoid making decisions under pressure. If someone claims to represent a bank, business or government organisation, consumers should independently find the organisation’s contact details and make contact directly rather than relying on information provided in the original message.
Anyone who believes they have fallen victim to a scam is being urged to act quickly. Contacting a bank can help limit potential financial losses, while people who have disclosed personal information can seek advice from IDCARE. Scams can also be reported through Scamwatch.
The government has also encouraged South Australians to talk openly about scams with relatives, friends and colleagues. It said people should not feel embarrassed about being deceived, particularly as fraudulent communications become increasingly difficult to distinguish from genuine ones.
Michael Brown said the nature of scams had changed considerably, with criminals moving well beyond the poorly written emails traditionally associated with online fraud.
“The nature of scams is changing,” Brown said. “We are no longer dealing with the days of the poorly written email claiming to be from a Nigerian prince.”
He said scammers were now using artificial intelligence and stolen data to make their approaches more convincing.
“Behind every one of those figures is a person who has been deceived,” Brown said, urging South Australians to stop, check and protect themselves.
The $6 million in reported losses represent the financial impact recorded so far this year, but authorities continue to warn that scams can take many forms and that not every incident is immediately reported.
For consumers, the advice remains straightforward: pause before responding to unexpected requests, verify who is contacting you through an independent channel, and act quickly if something goes wrong.
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