Cyber Security News

Australian cybersecurity boosts threat awareness

Editors Publicspectrum Jul 17, 2024

2 min read

Cybersecurity experts are warning that scammers are more likely to target Australians on specific days.

Scammers are most active on Fridays and Saturdays, often deploying their schemes in the early morning hours, according to a major telecommunications company. Cybersecurity measures blocked 11% more scams on Fridays and Saturdays in 2022 and 2023, with many of these scams occurring between 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.

Cybersecurity expert Darren Pauli stated that the timing of these early morning attacks is “no coincidence.”

“Scammers try to take advantage of lapsed Judgement,” he said.

“Whether that’s before your first cup of coffee, while you’re busy running weekend errands, or simply in relaxation mode.

“They pose as real and recognisable companies or agencies and threaten everything from cancelled car registrations through to damage to your credit report, or even legal action.

“Scammers will try to manipulate you into responding quickly before you have a chance to stop and think.

“By targeting you at these times, scammers maximise their chances of success, exploiting moments when potential victims are not fully alert.”

Darren Pauli, a cybersecurity expert, revealed that their company observed a 20% decrease in blocked scams on Sundays compared to the weekly average. In a concerning development, Pauli noted that scammers are now employing AI technology to mimic Australian accents, aiming to make their scams more convincing and successful.

“As technology evolves, scammers also evolve their techniques and approaches,” he said.

“While we use AI to help protect our network and our customers, scammers also like to use generative AI tools to produce highly-personalised messages.

“Lately, we’ve seen scammers use AI to sound more Australian to try and trick locals into thinking they’re ‘true blue’.

Reports of scams in Australia have seen a notable increase, according to recent data from Scamwatch. In 2023, scam reports surged by 18.5% compared to the previous year, as highlighted in Scamwatch’s Targeting Scams Report.

Text messaging remains scammers’ preferred method to target Australians, with over 109,000 SMS scams reported in 2023, marking a 37% rise from 2022.

Editors Publicspectrum

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