Tuesday 10th February marks Safer Internet Day 2026, a global initiative spanning more than 180 countries that encourages communities to foster safer online spaces. Whilst the eSafety Commissioner provides dedicated resources for schools and families, emerging digital threats reveal a growing vulnerability amongst Australian adults, particularly in an era where artificial intelligence can convincingly impersonate voices, faces, and trusted institutions.
A Shifting Threat Landscape
Recent data from the Cybercrime in Australia 2024 report paints a sobering picture: 47.4 per cent of Australians experienced at least one form of cybercrime in the past year, with nearly two-thirds having encountered it at some point in their lives. Online abuse and harassment remain the most prevalent forms of harm, affecting more than a quarter of respondents within the previous 12 months.
The financial toll is staggering. Queensland Police report that fraud and financial crime cost Australia over $8.5 billion annually, representing 40 per cent of the total cost of all crime in the country. Perhaps more concerning is what happens after a scam: whether victims recover their money is entirely at the discretion of their bank, with no automatic reimbursement guaranteed.
When Technology Weaponises Trust
This year’s global theme, ‘Smart tech, safe choices: Exploring the safe and responsible use of AI‘,reflects an uncomfortable reality. Deepfake technology, which can replicate a person’s voice and appearance using mere seconds of audio or video from social media, has moved from science fiction to everyday threat. Romance scams now employ AI to manage dozens of simultaneous ‘relationships’, crafting messages that mirror victims’ writing styles and remember previous conversations.
The average loss per romance scam victim in Australia stands at $25,000. More alarmingly, scammers have begun spoofing Queensland Police phone numbers, making fraudulent calls appear to originate from legitimate law enforcement.
Australia’s Coordinated Response
The eSafety Commissioner coordinates Australia’s participation in Safer Internet Day, providing a dedicated hub with resources including posters, quizzes, conversation starters, and the new Mighty Heroes game designed for primary school students. These tools target schools, tertiary institutions, workplaces, and homes to spark discussions about safer internet practices.
The Commissioner’s five core tips emphasise kindness and mindfulness in digital interactions, speaking up against online abuse, starting conversations about safety with family and peers, and sharing resources to build community awareness. The approach integrates mental health considerations, AI awareness, and harm reporting, reflecting a coordinated national strategy.
Beyond School Gates: Adult Vulnerabilities
Whilst school-focused resources remain vital, the fastest-growing victim demographic for online harm in Australia comprises adults. Scammers increasingly exploit established trust networks, infiltrating community email lists, neighbourhood Facebook groups, and local organisations. A recent local incident saw a resident lose $1,000 to a piano scam that gained credibility by being forwarded through a community group’s trusted members.
This exploitation of community bonds presents a challenge to traditional safety advice. Scammers understand that a forwarded email from a bowling club president or church newsletter editor carries significantly more weight than a direct approach from an unknown source.
Practical Protections for Everyday Life
Security experts recommend establishing family verification phrases, unique codes shared with children, grandchildren, and siblings that must be included in any urgent requests for money or help. This single measure defeats voice-clone scams, hacked account emergencies, and impersonation fraud.
For community group transactions, a secondary verification rule proves essential: when a trusted contact forwards an offer involving money, make one independent contact with the supposed seller using details found separately, not those provided in the forwarded message.
Queensland Police identify specific payment method red flags: wire transfer services, money orders, gift cards, and cryptocurrency. Legitimate businesses do not demand payment via iTunes cards or Google Play vouchers. If the ‘Tax Office’ requests gift cards, it isn’t the Tax Office.
Immediate Threats Circulating Locally
Several scams currently affect Australian communities. Text messages claiming Medicare needs to verify details for rebate processing use deceptive URLs, medicare.gov-au-verify.com rather than the legitimate medicare.gov.au. Medicare never initiates contact via text regarding rebates.
‘Tech support’ cold calls have evolved beyond generic ‘Microsoft Windows’ claims. Scammers now identify actual internet providers by cross-referencing public NBN rollout data with addresses, then offer ‘free security scans’. Legitimate providers never cold-call offering such services.
Online marketplace transactions present physical security risks. Buyers suggesting home meetings ‘since they’re just around the corner’ have been connected to subsequent burglaries. Public locations only, without exception.
Reporting Matters – With Realistic Expectations
Scams can be reported through ReportCyber at cyber.gov.au, a process requiring 10–15 minutes. However, financial recovery remains unlikely. Police cannot retrieve funds, that requires civil court action, typically costing more than the loss itself. Whether reports lead to investigation depends on scam type, severity, suspect location, and available information. Many reports contribute to intelligence gathering rather than individual case resolution.
The eSafety Commissioner offers one genuinely effective service: image-based abuse reporting. Regardless of age, Australians can report non-consensual sharing of intimate images. The Commissioner issues legally binding notices to platforms for content removal, a concrete remedy requiring neither technical expertise nor proof of the perpetrator’s identity.
A Community Responsibility
Digital literacy extends beyond knowing how to use technology, it encompasses understanding how technology is increasingly weaponised against us, and how community bonds that enrich our lives can simultaneously become vulnerabilities.
Safer Internet Day provides an opportunity to move beyond dismissive ‘of course I’m being safe’ responses. More productive conversations begin with questions like: ‘What’s one thing you’ve seen online recently that seemed off, but you weren’t quite sure?’ This validates the small doubts that represent safety instincts at work.
Normalising close calls and sharing our own experiences removes the shame that keeps people silent when targeted, or worse, when they’ve lost money. The goal isn’t never trusting anything online; it’s trusting our instincts when something doesn’t align.
Where to Find Help
eSafety Commissioner: esafety.gov.au
Safer Internet Day hub: esafety.gov.au/newsroom/whats-on/safer-internet-day
Queensland Police cyber safety: police.qld.gov.au/safety-and-preventing-crime/r-u-in-control
Range Community News says: “When fraud accounts for 40 per cent of all crime costs in Australia and recovery remains minimal, prevention becomes everything. The best time to stop a scam is before you send the money.”
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