Scam Awareness Week 2026 kicked off today (24 August), and the numbers are still ugly. Australians reported $157 million in scam losses in the first half of this year alone, across more than 91,000 reports.

That’s down from $210 million in the same period last year — but before anyone celebrates, the drop doesn’t mean scammers are slowing down. They’re just getting better at targeting fewer people for bigger payouts. And those are only the scams people actually reported.

What’s actually hitting businesses right now

The scams we see targeting Australian SMBs in 2026 aren’t the obvious dodgy emails anymore. They’re AI-generated phishing messages landing in Microsoft Teams chats, invoice redirects with near-perfect supplier branding, and deepfake voice calls impersonating directors to authorise payments.

Across our client base this year, we’ve seen a sharp uptick in business email compromise (BEC) attempts — particularly in professional services and financial advice firms. The common thread: these attacks exploit trust and speed, not technical vulnerabilities. A convincing email from a “supplier” with updated bank details is all it takes.

Three things to do this week

1. Run a payment-process check. Can a single person change a supplier’s bank details without a second sign-off? If yes, fix that today.

2. Test your team. Send a simulated phishing email — not to catch people out, but to start a conversation. Cyber safety training is the single cheapest control you can add.

3. Turn on external email tagging. If you’re on Microsoft 365, tag every email from outside your organisation. It’s a five-minute change that flags impersonation attempts instantly.

Awareness isn’t enough

The ACCC’s “Stop. Check. Protect.” framework is solid advice for individuals. But businesses need controls, not just awareness. If your staff can transfer $50,000 based on an email alone, a poster in the break room won’t save you.

Need a hand checking your exposure? Get in touch — we run scam-resilience checks as part of our cybersecurity service.