Credit Card Fraud Statistics In Australia

Credit Card Fraud Statistics in Australia

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Credit card fraud statistics in Australia for 2025, focusing on the most recent data available from sources like the Australian Payments Network (AusPayNet), Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), and other relevant reports. Given your interest in credit cards (e.g., Barclays Hawaiian Airlines, David Jones Mastercard) and the Velocity Frequent Flyer Program, this response is tailored to your likely Travel Enthusiast, Rewards Maximizer, Budget-Conscious Spender, Premium Perks Seeker, and Credit Builder money styles, emphasizing how fraud impacts credit card users and rewards programs in Australia. I’ll also address prevention tips relevant to your interest in Australian-centric financial products.

Credit Card Fraud Statistics in Australia (2025)

Total Fraud Value and Trends

  • 2024 Total Fraud: According to the 2025 Australian Payment Fraud Report by AusPayNet, the total value of card fraud on Australian-issued cards reached $913 million in 2024, a 20% increase from $762 million in 2023.
  • Fraud Rate: The fraud rate rose by 12% year-on-year, from 70.2 cents per $1,000 spent in 2023 to 78.8 cents per $1,000 in 2024, driven by overseas fraud. Total card spending was $1.1 trillion in 2024.
  • Historical Context:
  • 2023: $762 million (32% increase from 2022’s $577 million).
  • 2022: $577 million (16.5% increase from 2021’s $499.5 million).
  • 2021: $499.5 million (1.9% increase from 2020’s $468 million).
  • The upward trend is linked to increased online shopping post-COVID-19 and sophisticated fraud tactics like AI-powered phishing and deepfake scams.

Types of Card Fraud

  • Card-Not-Present (CNP) Fraud:
  • Dominates, accounting for 92% of all card fraud in FY24 (July 2023–June 2024), totaling $785 million, up 29% from the previous year.
  • Overseas CNP Fraud: Increased 25% to $454 million in 2024, with a rate of $12.08 per $1,000 spent (12 times higher than domestic CNP fraud). Overseas spending grew by 15%, but fraud outpaced it.
  • Domestic CNP Fraud: Rose 11% to $362 million, but the rate dropped to a record low of 97 cents per $1,000 spent, reflecting stronger domestic protections.
  • Lost and Stolen Cards: Fraud increased 31% to $68 million in 2024.
  • Counterfeit/Skimming Fraud: Decreased 20% to $6.2 million, due to improved chip technology and reduced physical card use.
  • Cheque Fraud: Dropped 44% to $2.7 million, less relevant to credit card focus.
  • Overseas-Issued Cards: Fraud on overseas cards used in Australia rose 16% to $95.4 million, highlighting risks for international transactions.

Victimisation Rates (2023–24)

  • ABS Personal Fraud Survey (July 2023–June 2024):
  • 9.9% of Australians (2.1 million people aged 15+) experienced card fraud, up from 8.7% in 2022–23.
  • Gender Breakdown:
    • Females: 11% (1,005,700 victims).
    • Males: 9.3% (799,000 victims).
  • Age Breakdown:
    • 45–54 years: Highest victimisation rate at 14.1%.
    • 35–44 years: 11.7%.
    • 25–34 years: 8.6%.
    • 15–24 years: 5.5% (lowest).
    • 65+ years: 8.7%.
  • Other Demographics:
    • People with disabilities: 12% vs. 9.3% without.
    • Higher-income households (top quintile): 13% vs. 8.2–10% in lower quintiles.
    • Non-school qualification holders: 11% vs. 7.6% without.

Financial Impact

  • Gross Loss: $2.1 billion was withdrawn or used in card fraud incidents in 2023–24.
  • Net Loss After Reimbursements: $477 million, as 72% of victims received full reimbursement and 3.1% partial reimbursement. 16% received no reimbursement.
  • Amount per Incident:
  • $1–$100: 28.4%.
  • $101–$500: 34.2%.
  • $501–$1,000: 11.2%.
  • Over $1,000: 17.2%.
  • No money withdrawn: 6%. Median loss was $250.
  • Reporting: 98% of victims notified an authority, primarily banks/financial institutions (93%), followed by credit card companies (14.7%) and police (4.5%).

Regional Variations

  • By State (2023–24):
  • New South Wales: 577,300 victims (8.8% of population).
  • Victoria: 486,500 victims (9% of population).
  • Queensland: 384,800 victims (9.1% of population).
  • Western Australia: 161,000 victims (7.3% of population).
  • South Australia: 110,900 victims (7.5% of population).
  • Tasmania: 35,200 victims (7.5% of population).
  • Northern Territory: 13,400 victims (9% of population).
  • Australian Capital Territory: 37,900 victims (10.6% of population).
  • Observation: Larger states report more cases due to population size, but victimisation rates are similar (7.3–10.6%).

Scam-Related Fraud

  • Scam Victimisation: 3.1% (675,300 people) experienced scams in 2023–24, up from 2.5% in 2022–23. Common scams tied to card fraud:
  • Buying/Selling Scams: 1.4% (308,200 victims).
  • Phishing Scams: 0.7% (148,800 victims).
  • Financial Advice Scams: 0.4%.
  • Financial Losses: Australians lost $119 million to scams from January–April 2025, a 28% increase from 2024, despite a 25% drop in reported cases (72,230). Phishing scams rose from $4.6 million to $13.7 million in losses.
  • Social Media Scams: Losses increased 30% to $23.4 million, with a 50% rise in victims.

Fraud Tactics

  • Carding: Illegal use of stolen credit card details, often via automated bot attacks, dark web marketplaces, or fake online stores.
  • Phishing and Deepfakes: AI-powered phishing and deepfake scams are rising, exploiting online shopping growth.
  • Business Email Compromise (BEC): 71% of organizations fell victim to BEC scams, often involving fraudulent emails impersonating executives or suppliers.

Impact on Your Money Style

Your inquiries suggest a blend of Travel Enthusiast, Rewards Maximizer, Budget-Conscious Spender, Premium Perks Seeker, and Credit Builder money styles, with a focus on Australian financial products (e.g., David Jones Mastercard, Velocity Frequent Flyer, Fair Go Finance). Here’s how card fraud statistics relate:

  • Travel Enthusiast: High CNP fraud ($785 million) affects online travel bookings, critical for cards like Barclays Hawaiian Airlines or BoA Alaska Atmos, which you inquired about. Use secure platforms like Velocity’s booking system to reduce risks.
  • Rewards Maximizer: Fraud can disrupt rewards programs (e.g., Velocity Points theft via phishing). The ABS notes 9.9% victimisation impacts reward card users, so monitor accounts tied to David Jones Mastercard or Velocity Flyer Card.
  • Budget-Conscious Spender: High fraud rates (e.g., $477 million net loss) highlight the need for cards with strong fraud protection, like Capital One VentureOne (0% foreign transaction fees, robust security) or cred.ai Unicorn (no hard pulls, fraud alerts).
  • Premium Perks Seeker: Premium cards like David Jones Prestige or BoA Alaska Atmos Summit offer travel insurance and e-commerce protections, but 98% reporting to banks suggests quick action is key to minimizing losses.
  • Credit Builder: Fraud can harm credit scores if unresolved. Fair Go Finance (from your inquiry) and cred.ai help rebuild credit, but fraud’s 9.9% prevalence underscores the need for vigilance.

Fraud Prevention Tips

Given the $913 million in card fraud and your interest in Australian-centric products, here are tailored prevention strategies:

  • Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Use MFA on banking apps for cards like David Jones Mastercard or Velocity Flyer Card to prevent unauthorized access.
  • Monitor Transactions: Check statements regularly for suspicious charges, especially small ones ($1–$100, 28.4% of incidents), as carders test before larger fraud. Use the Velocity App or Latitude App for real-time alerts.
  • Shop Reputably: Avoid risky online stores, a key fraud vector (e.g., 308,200 buying/selling scam victims). Use trusted platforms like Velocity’s e-Store or David Jones’ website.
  • Update Security: Keep devices/apps updated to counter phishing (losses up to $13.7 million). Cards like Capital One VentureOne support contactless payments with enhanced security.
  • Report Immediately: 98% of victims reported to banks, recovering 72% fully. Contact your bank (e.g., Latitude for David Jones: 1300 324 746) or Scamwatch (www.scamwatch.gov.au) for fraud incidents.
  • Credit Card Verification: 55% of organizations use verification services, reducing fraud. Opt for cards with strong authentication, like Barclays Hawaiian or cred.ai.
  • Velocity-Specific: Secure your Velocity account with a strong password and PIN, as phishing targets loyalty programs. Redeem points promptly to avoid theft.

Comparison to Your Inquired Cards

  • Barclays Hawaiian Airlines ($99): Offers fraud protection (e.g., Mastercard benefits) and no foreign transaction fees, reducing overseas CNP fraud risks ($454 million). Better for travel rewards than fraud-heavy environments.
  • David Jones Premiere/Prestige ($99/$295): Includes e-commerce insurance, useful for $362 million in domestic CNP fraud. However, 3% foreign transaction fees increase costs for overseas purchases, a fraud hotspot.
  • Capital One VentureOne ($0): No foreign transaction fees and strong fraud alerts make it safer for online purchases, where 92% of fraud occurs. More flexible than David Jones for non-Australian use.
  • BoA Alaska Atmos Business/Summit ($95/$395): Travel protections and fraud monitoring align with $477 million net loss recovery needs. Ideal for frequent flyers but less relevant for domestic fraud.
  • cred.ai Unicorn ($0): AI-driven fraud alerts and no hard pulls protect credit scores, crucial with 9.9% victimisation. Lacks rewards but safer for Credit Builders.
  • Velocity Flyer Card ($99): Earns Velocity Points with fraud protection via Virgin Money’s app. Bonus (70,000 points) is at risk if accounts are compromised by phishing ($13.7 million).

Bottom Line

Credit card fraud in Australia reached $913 million in 2024, with 9.9% of Australians (2.1 million) affected in 2023–24, driven by CNP fraud ($785 million) and phishing scams. The $477 million net loss after reimbursements highlights the importance of fraud protection for your inquired cards (e.g., David Jones, Velocity Flyer) and programs like Velocity Frequent Flyer. Those aged 45–54 (14.1%) and higher-income households (13%) are most at risk, relevant if you’re an Australian Rewards Maximizer or Travel Enthusiast. Use MFA, monitor accounts, and shop securely to protect rewards and credit, especially with cards like Capital One VentureOne or cred.ai for low-cost safety. Verify fraud policies with issuers (e.g., Latitude: 1300 324 746, Virgin Money: 13 37 39) or check AusPayNet and ABS.

To refine this, please share:

  • Your location (Australia-based?).
  • Spending habits (e.g., online, travel).
  • Credit status (e.g., building, good).
  • Preferred cards (e.g., Velocity-linked, no-fee).

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