Millions of suspected scam calls are still getting through to Australian phones, raising questions about the telecommunications industry’s ability to stop them. In an interview, Starts at 60’s cybersecurity expert Bora Seker explains why older Australians are being targeted and shares five simple ways to protect your money and personal information.
You answer the phone and the caller says they’re from your bank.
There’s been suspicious activity on your account, they explain, and you need to act quickly to protect your savings. The number on your screen looks Australian and the caller sounds professional and may even know your name.
But how can you be sure they’re telling the truth?
It’s a question Australians are increasingly being forced to ask following an ABC investigation last week revealing that Vodafone identified more than 24 million suspected scam calls originating through Symbio, a telecommunications business owned by Aussie Broadband, over a 12-month period.
According to Vodafone’s analysis of calls received by its customers between July 2025 and July 2026, those calls accounted for 98 per cent of the suspected scam calls it identified.
Aussie Broadband has pointed to the complexity of Australia’s telecommunications networks, including arrangements through which phone numbers are resold, and says it is working to reduce scam activity.
The figures are Vodafone’s own analysis rather than an independent regulatory finding, but they raise the question: with technology capable of detecting suspicious calls, why are so many still getting through?
Cybersecurity expert Bora Seker, founder of Cyber Safe Families and host of the Dumb Ways to Get Hacked podcast, says scammers have become increasingly adept at exploiting the way telephone networks operate.
“Caller ID is a name tag, and anyone can write on it,” Seker told Starts at 60.
“Scammers make their calls look Australian in two ways. Some call from overseas and simply fake the number that shows on your screen. Others buy real Australian numbers in bulk, often from companies that resell them down a long chain, and switch to a fresh number as soon as one gets flagged.”
While telecommunications companies have blocked billions of scam calls in recent years, Seker says identifying fraudulent calls isn’t always straightforward.
“To be fair to the telcos, they have blocked more than three billion scam calls since late 2020. But they have a split second to judge each call, and it’s whack-a-mole.”
For Australians approaching or enjoying retirement, the consequences of a successful scam can be devastating, especially when money accumulated over decades disappears in a single transaction.
But Seker rejects the suggestion that older Australians fall victim because they’re less capable of recognising fraud.
“They’re not more gullible. They’re more targeted,” he says.
“Australians over 65 carried more than a quarter of all scam losses last year, despite being about one in six of the population. That’s because they tend to have savings, they still answer the phone, and they were raised to be polite and to trust the bank and the police. Scammers use all three.”
National Anti-Scam Centre figures support the concern. Australians aged 65 and over reported $88.8 million in losses to Scamwatch in 2025, accounting for more than a quarter of the total reported losses.
Seker says impersonation scams commonly involve someone pretending to represent a bank, police or another trusted institution, often claiming that urgent action is needed to prevent financial loss.
“The common scripts are a call from ‘your bank’ about a suspicious payment, a call from ‘the police’ about your identity, and a plea to move your money to a ‘safe account’. Every one of them comes with a deadline, because panic stops you checking.”
And the technology is becoming more convincing.
At Melbourne’s recent CyberCon conference, Seker heard about a woman who received a telephone call apparently from her son-in-law, claiming he was in trouble and asking her to meet him in a shopping centre car park.
The voice sounded exactly like his, but it wasn’t him.
It’s a disturbing example of how difficult it can be to establish someone’s identity over the telephone, particularly as voice-cloning technology becomes more accessible.
Seker says a few straightforward precautions can help reduce the risk of falling victim.
1. Hang up and call back
If someone contacts you unexpectedly about your money, end the conversation and call the organisation yourself.
“If a call is about your money, end it and ring the bank on the number on the back of your card. A real bank won’t mind. A scammer will.”
Never rely on a telephone number supplied by the caller, even if it appears to match the organisation they’re claiming to represent.
2. Let your phone screen unfamiliar callers
Modern smartphones have features that can help identify or filter unwanted calls.
On compatible iPhones, go to Settings, then Apps, Phone and Screen Unknown Callers. Select Ask Reason for Calling to have unfamiliar callers identify themselves before the phone rings.
Android phones also offer spam-filtering options, although the settings vary between models.
Keep in mind that hospitals and medical practices may call from unfamiliar numbers, so it’s worth checking missed calls and voicemail.
3. Ask your telephone provider about scam protection
Seker recommends contacting your telecommunications provider to find out what free scam-call blocking or warning services are available.
Some protections operate automatically, while others depend on your handset or settings.
4. Agree on a family code word
With voice-cloning technology becoming more convincing, Seker suggests families agree on a private word or phrase that can be used to verify an unexpected emergency call.
“If ‘your grandson’ rings in a panic and can’t say it, hang up.”
Call the family member directly using a number you already know. A code word is an extra safeguard, not a substitute for checking the story.
5. Know what a legitimate bank or police officer won’t ask you to do
Seker identifies three major warning signs: a caller asking for a security code sent to your phone, requesting remote access to your computer, or instructing you to transfer savings into a supposedly safer account.
Treat any unexpected request of this kind as suspicious, regardless of how convincing the caller sounds.
Discovering that you’ve handed money or personal information to a scammer can be frightening, but Seker says acting quickly offers the best chance of limiting the damage.
“Speed matters more than embarrassment.”
If you’ve transferred money or disclosed banking information, contact your bank’s fraud department immediately using an independently verified number. Depending on the circumstances, the bank may be able to stop a transaction or attempt to recover funds.
For compromised identity documents, including a driver’s licence, Medicare card or passport, Seker recommends contacting IDCARE, Australia’s national identity and cyber support service, on 1800 595 160.
If you’ve allowed someone to access your computer remotely, disconnect it from the internet and seek professional assistance before using it for sensitive activities again. Change compromised passwords from a trusted device, starting with your email account.
Incidents can also be reported through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au/report and Scamwatch at scamwatch.gov.au.
Seker warns that victims can face further attempts to steal their money, particularly from criminals claiming they can recover what was lost.
“People who’ve been scammed often get a follow-up call offering to ‘recover’ their money for a fee. That’s the same scammers coming back.”
He also encourages victims to tell their families rather than suffering in silence.
“There’s no shame in it. These are professional criminals, and the people who speak up early save the most.”
The latest figures underline the scale of the challenge.
According to the National Anti-Scam Centre, Australians reported combined scam losses of $2.18 billion in 2025.
Meanwhile, telecommunications companies have reported blocking more than three billion scam calls since late 2020.
Yet the findings of Vodafone’s analysis suggest significant numbers of suspicious calls continue to make their way through the system.
For Seker, the advice is simple: if a caller wants you to act urgently, particularly when your money is involved, end the conversation and verify their identity independently.
Because the person on the other end of the phone may not be who they claim to be.
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